Too much of everything

Just perfect...

I wanted to but couldn't!

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

Fanatstic scenes and fabulous rugby sequences. Ignore the disappointing politics. They are a bore.

I had high hopes for this movie, I really did. Morgan Freeman always delivers his lines beautifully, but even he couldn't save this train wreck. The pacing was incredibly slow, with far too much padding. While supposed to be inspiring, it only succeeded in being a stereotypical underdog story with no real backbone and meat to it other than a flimsy plot of restoring the unity of South Africa through rugby. I was ultimately very disappointed with this movie, and although the performances of the actors were on point, the writing and direction left much to be desired.

The movie takes on the challenge of the complex story of the role of rugby in unifying the new, post-apartheid South Africa, and is interesting overall. It fails, however, to approach the potential of the actual story. The production comes across as a collection of snippets thrown together more than a cohesive story. Furthermore, the progression of popular black South African emotions towards the team, from hatred to approval and adoration, is poorly developed - and as a result seems somewhat false. This movie comes across as more of a feel good movie about post-apartheid unification in South Africa than the more thoughtful analysis of how this sport was used as a symbol/tool for unification in a nation on the brink of civil war due to a very recent and complex history of racial separation/terror.

The sporting sequences in Clint Eastwood's film are so-so; despite the guttural grunts on the soundtrack, it's clear the actors will never be successful rugby players. The commentary on the game(s) is replete with expressions that would not be used in rugby-playing countries; this is inevitable, perhaps, when the film is aimed at mass audiences, the majority of whom are not au fait with the game's rules.Yet such shortcomings should not detract from a highly uplifting film that shows how Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) not only managed to unify the country during that magical year of 1995, but preached a message of hope and forgiveness that everyone could understand. Director Clint Eastwood and screenwriter Anthony Peckham are very good at depicting South Africa in the immediate aftermath of Mandela's release, when the whites and blacks had to try to get used to living as equals. This is well illustrated in the subplot involving the security guards, led by Jason (Tony Kgoroge), with white subordinates who up until a few years previously had been arresting their black counterparts. With their sharp suits and stony expressions, the white guards, led by Hendrick (Matt Stern) look especially fearsome.Mandela's way of reconciling the two races was simple; not just to supplant one regime with another, but to try and reconcile everyone. Hence his insistence on preserving the Springbok name and colors for the rugby team. The sequence where he enters a meeting and overturns a majority black vote to ban the name is especially affecting; Mandela speaks slowly and in measured tones, without trying to antagonize anyone.The central relationship between Mandela and South African rugby captain Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon) has been cleverly handled. While Pienaar wants to adapt to the new South Africa, it's clear he is not sure how to do so, until Mandela invites him to afternoon tea. In this oh-so-tranquil of surroundings Mandela outlines his vision and the means to accomplish it, not by imposing his will on anyone but encouraging consensus. It is a lesson well learned; in the World Cup Final when South Africa are trailing the All Blacks, Pienaar calls his team together into a huddle and reminds them of why they are playing the game, not just for themselves but the entire nation.The title INVICTUS comes from a poem by the nineteenth century British writer W. H. Henley, emphasizing the importance of listening to the gods but remaining "the captain of one's soul." This is a lesson both Mandela and Pienaar are well aware of, as together they lead their country into a new era of national unity.