Invictus Review

‘Invictus’ is a Masterpiece of Authenticity

-----Nelson Mandela just spent 27 years in prison due to white oppression in South Africa. Elected President soon after his release, Mandela became more than a government official when he emphasized forgiveness rather than revenge on the white minority that held him in captivity for all those years. This in mind, Mandela makes a. equally brilliant and risky move, turning the nation’s rugby team into the mediator of the divided country. But for this to work, the South African Springboks will have the sizable challenge of winning the 1995 Rugby World Cup; the fate of a nation on their shoulders.

-----Morgan Freeman is so good here he may as well be Mandela. Without any display of extreme emotions (crying or yelling or physical violence), Freeman is able to capture Mandela’s presence with an ease and subtlety that reminds us why we love him so much. It’s a performance sure to garner many awards and much praise, as his portrayal of the legend is truly a remarkable feat in the already distinguished actor’s lengthy career. It’s one of Freeman’s best roles and one likely to make him synonymous with the legend of Nelson Mandela. Whenever Mandela is brought up in conversation or political discussion, there too will be Morgan Freeman in the back of everyone’s mind, and rightfully so as Mandela actually requested Freeman to portray him if the opportunity ever arose. Perhaps equally brilliant in an understated supporting role is Matt Damon. As someone never sold on the Bourne films, I have since been won over by Damon’s continuous growth into one of Hollywood’s premier actors. His portrayal of Springbok Captain Francois Pienaar is as authentic as the rest of the film. Though agreeably shorter than the actual Pienaar, Damon bulked up in a display of physical commitment to the role, especially considering his recent work as the husky Marc Whitacre in ‘The Informant!’ Playing a man of few words, Damon’s nuanced performance is perfectly fitting for Pienaar (and likewise Mandela’s) lead-by-example tactics. And as is the case with the strong supporting cast that plays his teammates, you can literally feel the burn in your legs as the Springboks fight through every second on the field.

-----In 2009’s batch of true story adaptations, none have been blessed with the source material of ‘Invictus.’ And likewise Freeman’s performance stands above the rest of the year’s many formidable portrayals of real life characters. Topping Meryl Streep’s enthusiastic chef in ‘Julie & Julia,’ Johnny Depp’s fun loving mobster in ‘Public Enemies,’ and Sandra Bullock’s headstrong mother in ‘The Blind Side,’ Freeman proves triumphant with his pitch perfect portrayal of Nelson Mandela. And like 2008’s Oscar Nominations for Frank Langella as Richard Nixon and Sean Penn as Harvey Milk, Morgan Freeman will also be honored with a Nomination. While Penn shouldn’t have won the award for the politics involved, his performance was rightfully lauded. That being said, Freeman is likely to earn even more praise (and quite possibly the Oscar) for his superior performance as Mandela. Whereas Harvey Milk wore his emotions on his sleeve, Freeman had the task of portraying a man with emotions displayed only behind eyes that carried years of weight and persistence through the worst circumstances. And through all of ‘Milk,’ Penn was still an actor on screen, a fact forgotten of Morgan Freeman in ‘Invictus.’ Furthermore ‘Invictus’ itself is also superior to ‘Milk,’ a film ruled by the biases of its filmmaker’s politics. Contrary to that Best Picture Nominee, Mandela’s struggle is one of universal acclaim, beyond party politics and reaching back to the rights of every human. And instead of taking the easy root, using his newfound power and the fact that the majority of South African citizens were black, Mandela chose to forgive. And it all harkens back to Freeman’s definitive performance of a visionary capable of looking beyond biases and subsequently uniting a nation with the dicey yet ingenious use of the Rugby World Cup.

-----While Mandela’s story is obviously one worth being told, it is nothing without proper execution. And that is where Eastwood steps in with the reliability and skill we’ve come to expect from him. Every scene is bursting with an authentic air reminiscent of documentary footage, though it still carries an indelible cinematic beauty with every shot. The Art Direction is as intriguing as the story itself, with an unparalleled window opened into 1990’s South Africa. The film as a whole uses locations similar to those in this year’s gritty sci-fi epic ‘District 9,’ a film set in Johannesburg. Subsequently the cinematography is gorgeous, including lurid and sweeping shots of the Rugby action, which chooses to focus on the team’s collective struggle rather than the game’s technical aspects. Viewers are likely to get the gist of the football-wrestling hybrid that is Rugby, though it’s left to more of a personal level than a tactical one, with the scoreboard guiding much of the audience’s anticipation. The film’s credentials are further boosted by great costume and makeup work. ‘Invictus’ is finally rounded out with a musical score that, while occasionally overly reminiscent of previous Eastwood scores, is always fitting and soars away from this Eastwood’s traditional sound when the film requires; in which instances it becomes spectacular.

-----With one of the greatest true stories in recent history, Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman have taken their viewers right into the turmoil and triumph of 1990’s South Africa. Matt Damon and the rest of the film follow suit, providing one of the most immersive films of the year and the best true story adaptation I’ve seen in years. ‘Invictus’ is just a wonderful picture through and through. While everyone has seen plenty of true inspirational sports stories before, in all of their feel-good convention, ‘Invictus’ tops them all. It accomplishes this by focusing on politics and culture and the salvation of a nation rather than any single individual or winning touchdown. Whereas many true stories weigh down the originality of their adaptations, Eastwood avoids becoming another casualty of this fact, using the period setting and his cast’s definitive performances to his advantage. Through this brilliant application of the story being told, even the conventional sports elements we’ve seen before come off as if they’re happening live, and we’re all at home living the dream back in 1995. ‘Invictus’ is one of the year’s greatest cinematic endeavors, and is an important film to be remembered not only for the awards it will garner; but also as the definitive narrative representation of quite possibly the most prominent figure in South Africa’s history.

-----Oscar Watch: Freeman is guaranteed a Best Actor Nomination and Matt Damon shouldn’t be out of talks for a Best Supporting Actor nod. The film itself will likely earn a Best Picture Nomination, along with a well deserved nomination for Eastwood’s Direction. If it indeed succeeds in earning these Nominations, a number of technical honors will likely be considered including Art Direction, Costumes, and Cinematography, though the film’s actual chances of winning these are up in the air (yes, I did go there).

Official Trailer