Invictus (2009)

Clint Eastwood’s latest film, Invictus, tells a dual story about an early point in Nelson Mandela’s presidency and the 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa. The film is an adaptation of the novel Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Changed a Nation by John Carlin. Morgan Freeman plays Nelson Mandela as if the role was meant only for him. He captures the man perfectly, bringing forth his charisma and leadership qualities as well as nailing the accent. The first half of the film mostly follows Mandela as he takes office and just begins to run the country. There is an ongoing subplot with his black and white bodyguards, but aside from showing a connection between two peoples who recently considered themselves enemies, there’s not really a lot of weight to it. Mandela makes a controversial decision to keep the country’s rugby team exactly as it has been, even though most black people in the country see it as a representation of the apartheid system. He chooses to do so as an attempt to prevent isolating the white minority who also controls the economy and other important facets of the government. His initial connection to the game is strictly political, but as his interest in the game grows, so does the viewer's.

It is at this point when we are introduced to the team; they suck. Hated by the majority of the people in their country and consistently losing games, they have no chance at winning the world cup. The team’s Captain Francois Pienaar, played by Matt Damon, is invited to meet Mandela and is basically asked to do this seemingly impossible task. The team is shown to improve not only in their skills, but in the eyes of their fans. Mandela sees to it they must tour the country and gives lessons to the children. Everything leads up to the world cup match between South Africa and New Zealand. There is a lot of build up to this and the weight of the game becomes incredible both politically and emotionally. Clint Eastwood makes sure that the audience feels the weight of the match. It’s a very exciting finale and makes Invictus a very good Rugby film.

Invictus is an interesting mix between a sports movie and a political one. Combined with Mandela’s own personal triumphs and the nature of the underdog sports team, Invictus proves to be very emotional and uplifting. It’s a shame that this is the Nelson Mandela film that Morgan Freeman will play him in because his skill in portraying the man leaves you wanting more. That aside, the sport’s aspect of the movie is still very good, if a little corny towards the end with the heavy use of slow motion as that comes to be expected in the finale of any sports film. Matt Damon is likeable and also convincing as a rugby player. He clearly bulked up for the role. Invictus is the name of a poem by William Ernest Henley that Mandela tells Francois he read in prison to keep his spirits up. It’s a touching sentiment and a very good poem. There is a scene where the entire rugby team gets to visit the prison where Mandela was kept. Francois enters his claustrophobic cell and envisions what it must have been like not only for Mandela to spend nearly 30 years living in, but being able to leave and forgive the people who put him there. It’s a powerful scene and more than any other shows that Nelson Mandela deserves a good bio-pic. For what it is, Invictus is a very uplifting and moving story that will actually make you care about the winner of a rugby match. For those who are unfamiliar with the game, that alone is quite an accomplishment.