Review of Invictus (2009) by Nathan C — 01 Mar 2012

Some will be moved by Invictus, and some won't, one reason being that everyone has had different experiences with life and with movies, but it must be hard not to appreciate Clint Eastwood's precise, involving direction. It seems like he gets better and better with each of his efforts, and he always has this ability of his own to draw you into the story - making it ever more compelling with masterful editing and great actors. Morgan Freeman, after trying to make a film on Nelson Mandela for a long time, eventually found an interesting approach to one of the highlights of his life as President of South Africa and portrays the man with dedication and realism (Mandela himself said that he couldn't think of any other capable actor for the role).

The rest of the cast didn't disappoint. Matt Damon is excellent as François Pienaar, the rugby captain ready for improvement and greatness but shaken by his country's broken moralities. Was his afrikaani accent overdone? I don't know - but it sounded real.

The film tells of Nelson Mandela's first term as President and the changes he is prepared to make to South Africa. He was elected not long after being imprisonned by the previous government for 27 years. Apartheid has torn the country apart and he does everything in his power to reunite his people through peace, forgiveness and understanding. The Springboks must win the 1995 Rugby World Cup. The team has become a symbol of losing and of disappointment, but somehow Mandela manages to restore their image by giving them hope and motivation.

The rugby matches are intense, and you don't need to know much about rugby to be affected by them.

I also have to mention the music used, as it seemed to represent the South African atmostphere the right way and it fit the nature of the film. The film's message is subtletly handled and delivered, the political subtexts aren't too distracting and the characters to the smallest roles are intricate. It's both a look at Nelson Mandela's larger-than-life personnality and the world of sports. Some parts are a little useless or even go over the limit but with a solid script, impressive performances and clever pacing, the film is memorable.

Again, some can be moved by it and some can't, and I wouldn't recommend it to everyone... I for one was watching it in the right mood. Although Invictus is a flawed film and not a stand-out masterpiece, I was impressed by its mastery in directing and acting.