Invictus-2009

Invictus-2009

Director Clint Eastwood

Starring Matt Damon, Morgan Freeman

Scott’s Review #579

Reviewed January 2, 2017

Grade: B

As sports films go, it is very difficult, especially a sports film based on real-life actions, for a director to avoid cliches and make the film not a sappy, saturated mess.

I will point out some of the latter-day Rocky films as examples of cheese, not that those are true stories.

Nevertheless, Clint Eastwood has given us Invictus, and while the film is predictable and sappy, somehow it also works as an above-average offering.

This is undoubtedly helped by the superior acting of stars Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman, who give both compelling and nuanced performances.

While not a masterpiece, for the sports genre, it is above average, as it combines a South African history lesson along with good drama.

Freeman portrays the famed Nelson Mandela, during the period when he took over as President and subsequently ended apartheid. He used the 1995 World Cup rugby matches as a way to unite his people.

Damon stars as a key rugby player.

Invictus is a rousing, triumphant sports film with a happy ending one can see for miles away. There is particularly a rooting value and rallying cry to the film since the subject matter is an important social issue and historically significant.

I wish that the film might have contained more character-driven elements, but it was clear the type of film that it was. Nothing very surprising ever developed as the film was straightforward.

Still, a worthy effort that is a feel-good film.

Oscar Nominations: Best Actor-Morgan Freeman, Best Supporting Actor-Matt Damon

Leave a Reply