Film of the Week Review: Invictus
Sporting films are notoriously lacking in detail and, more often than not, credibility.
Whether it be Pele notching an overhead kick for the Allies against the pesky Nazis, despite nursing a set of broken ribs, in Escape to Victory, or the Jamaican bobsleigh team limping over the line to be met by the rapidly melting stoical face of an East German rival in Cool Runnings, sports films are generally, well, a bit naff.
The best offerings of recent years have either been films which embrace the comedic potential of sport and run with it (think Adam Sandler's career best turn in Happy Gilmore) or those which garner genuine inspiration from real life events, like Mark Wahlberg's portrayal of 30-year-old bartender-cum-Philadelphia Eagles star running back Vince Papale in Ericson Core's 2006 film, Invincible.
Invictus falls into the later camp and, despite at times being a little Sports Story Plot B by numbers, succeeds in taking the genre to new heights.
Under the increasingly trusted directorship of Clint Eastwood, Invictus tells the true story of how Nelson Mandela joined forces with the captain of South Africa's rugby team, Francois Pienaar, to help unite their country.
As newly elected president, Mandela believed that the universal language of sport could bring people together in the wake of apartheid.
As a result, the nation's underdog rugby team made an unlikely challenge on the 1995 World Cup Championship – a tournament few pundits expected them to do well in.
Much like Benicio del Toro's take on Che Guevara, Freeman excels in the role many will feel he was born to play. A host of notable actors have tried and failed to slip seamlessley into Mandela's shoes – most notably Sidney Poitier in the 1997 straight to TV Mandela and de Klerk.
Freeman though, lest we forget, has twice been cast as God. However, the risk at taking on the role of Mandela posed a far more significant threat to his reputation. Mandela you see is still very much alive and boasts a person very much instilled in the consciousness of any Westerner with access to the news.
Freeman, no doubt helped by bearing more than a slight resemblance to the great man, offers what could end up a career best performance. He nails Mandela's trademark stuttering and halting rhythm of speech and perfectly portrays the statesman's manipulative charm, sense of purpose, strong will and slightly mischievous glimmer.
Matt Damon performs admirably as Mandela's cinematic sidekick. Won over by Mandela's vision, his character Francois Pienaar responds as only a back row forward can to the calling of bringing home the trophy - by tackling it straight on.
Unlike normal film reviews, it won't spoil the story to let slip the ending.
In fact, I would be surprised if many readers did not still remember the climax of the tournament. Needless to say Joel Stransky's extra time drop goal is one of those sporting events which almost demands cinematic recognition, such was the drama and importance of the fleeting moment which many still consider to have been the driving force behind social integration in South Africa.
Invictus is a rare beast. A sporting film which offers not just inspiration, but documents the very real power of sport to unite a country.
Invictus is being screened at The Odeon, at 7.30pm tonight (Monday) and Wednesday and at 8pm on Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday.
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Sunday 27 May 2012
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