Review of Miracle (2004) by Zach T — 22 Sep 2013

"Do you believe in miracles? Yes!" the famous broadcasting quote from Al Michaels as the 1980 US hockey team defeated the high powered octane Soviet Union team. It was David verses Goliath some may say. A group of college kids that have been playing together for just a few short months overcome all odds and give the US hope and spirit during the climax of the Cold War. Miracle is the most thrilling and drama filled true story film that Walt Disney has ever produced.

The storyline of Miracle is like no other. It follows the story of the 1980 US hockey team on their quest of an Olympic medal. Having read a book on the Cinderella story, the movie is just as good as the book. The team consisted of college kids with the average age of just 21. The movie is more than an underdog sports story. It is a movie that portrays belief, sacrifice, and courage, not only by the players, but by the United States as a country as well, being they are in the high of the Cold War era. They enter the Olympic Games as huge underdogs and prove to the world just how strong the USA is, behind their coach Herb Brooks.

The acting throughout the movie is exceptional, especially Kurt Russell as Herb Brooks. He portrays the keen and hard-nosed personalities that Herb possessed. The emotional and physical presence that he brings is just like that of Herb's. The script is to par in every aspect. This can be said in such respect, because the scene were Al Michaels is announcing the final seconds in the game against the USSR was so moving that actor could not relay the same message in the tone as it was back in 1980. The producer actually put the real live audio tape from the broadcasting of the game into the movie; that is how punctual and emotional that line is.

The originality of the movie is what makes it so thrilling and drama filled. It is all based on a true story that affected so many US lives. The drama is exposed throughout the entire movie in regards to a group of kids that lift the spirit and hopes of an entire nation through the game of hockey. What makes it so thrilling is that a bunch of college kids run the table of winning an Olympic medal, let alone a gold medal, and beating a veteran Soviet Union team that has dominated international play for the last 20 years and won the gold medal every year since 1964.

The Walt Disney production Miracle is one of, if not the best underdog sports stories of all time. The film follows the real-life events of the 1980 Olympic team, the script is extremely accurate, the acting is phenomenal, and the originality is without question, the best of all time. This leads to one final thought: Do you believe in miracles?