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Telling a true tale of South Africa's recent turbulent past, Invictus really evokes some strong emotions and although at times director Clint Eastwood disappoints, the film manages to carry itself strongly through to the end without having to rely upon the admirable performances of stars Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon.
The plot of Invictus centres around South African President Nelson Mandela (Freeman) and his struggle to unify the people of a country that is socially and racially torn. Apartheid has ended and Mandela is striving for reconciliation between blacks and whites. But as you can imagine after being oppressed for almost fifty years, black South Africans aren't all willing to forgive and forget. This combined with the fear of white South Africans, who suspect revengeful government policies, creates a melting pot for social unrest.
Mandela foresees the importance South Africa's rugby team - the Springboks - could have and becomes acquainted with Francois Pienaar (Damon), the team's captain. Mandela attempts to inspire Pienaar to reverse his team's recent bad luck by giving him a poem by William Ernest Henley entitled 'Invictus' (which in Latin means 'invincible') that helped him through his 27 year imprisonment on Robben Island.
The film's slowish beginning soon ignites into what really is a complex and moving story. It is largely presented in an effective and expert manner, and although at times it exaggerates the innocence of its characters, it retains a certain believability and human relation that perhaps only a true story can.
Even though the picture itself is no great classic and I probably won't be buying it on DVD, it is significant in that it gives great insight into a living legend and allows us to see how individual people can inspire millions. It is definitely worth a viewing; it's the sort of film everyone can enjoy. You will probably be pleasantly surprised. The resolving events of this film are almost unbelievable, and if this film were a work of fiction, they would be.
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