Monday, March 8, 2010

Invictus (2009)

IMDB Rating: 7.5/10
Runtime: 133 mins
Language: English
Country: USA
Color: Color
IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1057500/

Director: Clint Eastwood
Cast:
Morgan Freeman ... Nelson Mandela
Matt Damon ... François Pienaar

The magic of cinema, of movies is that it helps us escape our world and allows us feel things and experience moments that we may not ordinarily do in our day to day lives. I think whilst doing all this, the primary goal of a film or a filmmaker is that the movie should entertain an audience.
While that is happening, the entertaining bit I mean, if the filmmaker is able to throw in something more...a cause, a deeper meaning, something inspiring and uplifting it just makes the film a whole lot better. But do remember that the first thing he/she needs to do, is, to make the movie entertaining. Once that is achieved they can add in anything they want and people will love it.

I think Invictus manages that brilliantly. It is a story about a nation just getting to terms with change and one man's dream to make his nation accept that change and prosper with it. It is the story of a rugby team and how they adapt to changes in their world and their dreams to make it to the top of the world.
And incredibly it is a tale of how the two dreams meet together and get realized on a rugby pitch.

I think the movie was BRILLIANT! I've always said, I'm a simple guy and it's quite easy to please me but this is beyond that. It's not just a good movie. It's a great movie!
It's the kind of movie that comes along every now and then and gives you goosebumps and makes you cry a bit for someone who has absolutely no connection to you. It did all that for me and it made me feel really good about being a movie lover...about being positive and optimistic...about being alive.

I won't tell you much about the story in itself. I would really urge you to see it...but I will tell you that it has Morgan Freeman playing the great Nelson Mandela and Matt Damon playing the captain of the South African rugby team and they are both positively brilliant in the movie.
What I didn't know until now (and I don't know how I hadn't heard about it) was that the movie was directed by Clint Eastwood. I discovered that only after the movie was over and I got down to writing this.
In a way however, I'm glad that I didn't know that fact. I LOVE Clint Eastwood as an actor and as a director too. Had I known that it was his movie, I might have seen the movie, already knowing that it would be awesome. But not knowing that fact and just seeing it for what it was...and then discovering that it was made by one of my favourite heroes (and I mean that word beyond the cinematic sense) was absolutely delightful.

What a brilliant way to spend a couple of hours! Go watch it now!

Oh and this is for you poetry buffs and movie trivia buffs. The poem that Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) recited to himself when he was in prison and this is the poem that he passes on to François (Matt Damon) before the South African team are about to play the Rugby World Cup finals.

Invictus
by William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

The Moviemania Rating: 9/10
What can I say. I loved the movie and these are my ratings right? :)

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4 comments:

allVishal March 8, 2010 at 6:33 AM  

Hooray! Glad to see you back to reviewing movies! We missed you!

I've been looking forward to seeing Invictus for a while now. I don't know when I'll be able to see it -- hopefully this week -- but your review has made we even more eager!

Thanks especially for including the poem!

V

MusicManMihir March 8, 2010 at 8:38 AM  

Thanks Vishal :)
The movie was truly brilliant. No kidding. You've gotta get hands on it soon and check it out!

And how could I not have the poem eh? It kinda inspired the movie. You don't catch it in the movie but it's so good that I felt one MUST read it and see why it meant as much as it did to Mr.Mandela.

Glad to be back writing about movies. I love em as much as I love music. Maybe more!

M :)

Neha March 9, 2010 at 10:39 PM  

As Vishal said, thank you so much for being "back in the saddle again", here on Moviemania. As you can see, we missed you here :)

Coming to Invictus, I can't wait to watch this movie! Soon after the exams, I guess :)

xo

Melv1n August 1, 2010 at 4:30 AM  

its a typical feel good sports film. freeman struggled with accents.doesn't deserve more than 6.5

but it's your blog and your review :P

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