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Inspiring ‘Invictus’ resonates long after leaving the cinema
(by Stacey Rynders - December 23, 2009)
Audience reaction to a film is often tell-tale. Sometimes, the credits roll and people spring from their seats grateful for the release. Other times, the theater is full of laughter or tears. At Invictus, the film leaves a silence — a reverent pause as photos of the real-life players in the story of the 1995 Rugby World Cup upset grace the screen.
Invictus is, more than anything, a homage to an inspiring transformative moment in human history. Invictus has an emotional presence, one that carries a state of awe and admiration. Based on a true story and the book Playing the Enemy by John Carlin, Invictus is a film that inspires the spirit.
With Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) and the 1995 South African rugby team as the central characters, Invictus paints a picture of a troubled country emerging from apartheid rule. Both Mandela and the rugby team are symbolic of the country’s cavernous racial divide and, in the end, emblematic of its triumph.
Starting with a brief overview of Mandela’s release from jail after a 27-year imprisonment for his anti-apartheid efforts and his glorious rise to become the first president of a democratic South Africa, Invictus can at times feel a little slow and drawn out. But this measured pace is typical of director Clint Eastwood. Eastwood feels no need to rush a story or bolster it with flashy animation; he lets the story unfold in gentle strides and revealing moments.
The gentle forward march of the film matches the Mandela persona portrayed — each moment has a calculated, thoughtful purpose and unsuspecting power that encases you in an emotional web so that the film’s crescendo of human perseverance is ever more poignant.
It must be remembered that despite the tumultuous history of South Africa, Mandela is a man still revered for his contributions to world peace and poignantly unassuming presence. As one of his bodyguards puts it in the film, “You are never invisible to him.”
Yet it is with much apprehension and criticism from all that Mandela begins an obsession with the nation’s Springboks rugby team, cloaked in green and gold jerseys; the name and colors all symbolic of apartheid and a past that many want to bury. Not to mention, the team is awful and never wins.
Enter Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon), the captain of the Springboks, a determined and affable young man who is not particularly opinionated or resolute about anything — except rugby. This of course changes when he is befriended by Mandela, who, without ever directly saying it, tasks Francois with turning the flailing Springboks into a World Cup-winning team.
In his efforts to stir Francois to inspire his teammates, Mandela gifts a poem that served as inspiration during his imprisonment. That Victorian poem is titled “Invictus,” and through it, Mandela not only sways Francois’ motivation, he changes a nation by uniting them behind a championship team.
Surprisingly, both Freeman and Damon look uncharacteristic in their roles. Freeman, known for his commanding presence and vigor, still captivates, but in a frail frame that is a just characterization of the real Mandela. For a man who has played God, Freeman brings a believable charm and grace to the role of Mandela.
Damon sports a thick accent, beefcake muscles and bleach-blond hair. This is not the svelte Damon of Bourne Identity; Damon is a convincingly burly rugby player. His presence on the screen is not defined by words but by his stalwart insistence, frequently portrayed in subtle ways.
Not surprisingly, Invictus received three Golden Globe nominations – Freeman for Best Actor, Damon for Best Supporting Actor and Eastwood for Best Director. Additionally, the film is nominated for four Critics’ Choice Awards.
Whether you like rugby or barely know of the sport, Invictus is a film for the ages. Catch it in the theater; then buy it on DVD. The film’s resonance is one that will continually bring inspiration.
• Invictus is playing at the Chase Park Plaza Cinemas, located at 212 N. Kingshighway.
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