Invictus (2009)
MPAA Rating: PG 13
Reviewed by Gonzalo Vidal Pérez on October 30th, 2014
Genre: Sports, Drama
With: Matt Damon, Morgan Freeman
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Distributor: Warner Bros Pictures
If you are a sportsman or you really like sports, this movie is what you are looking for. Invictus is about how Nelson Mandela wants to grow South Africa as a recognised country in the world, from different aspects such as economical, social, among others. In this movie the main aspect is sports, specifically rugby.
Invictus is placed in the time when Mandela was released from jail after 27 years locked up. Then, when Mandela became the president, he demanded the same rights for white and black people. Also, Mandela wanted to improve South Africa; and taking advantage of the rugby world cup, which it was going to be in the same country, Mandela talks privately with the captain of the "Springbooks", Francois Pienaar, and asks him to do their best effort on the championship, because it will be transmited on T.V all around the world, so the people can appreciate their work.
Once Mandela came out of jail, he took charge of South Africa as the president. On the other hand, the South Africa's rugby team "Springooks" suffers a menace because of their bad campaign, and that's why a group of people votes to change their name to "Petreas" and do some changes on the team if they don't want to live a wrapped moment. But right before the decision is taken, Mandela arrives to defend the team's rights, and to keep their name to "Springbooks". Then, with Mandela's new campaign "One team, one country", the "Springbooks" visits a poor village in the outsides of the city and they play with the black kids and they teach some rules of rugby, showing that black people are the same as white. And then, when the world cup starts, with their heads up and the support of the entire country, they play with all they have.
In conclusion, and in my opinion, it is a beautiful movie, because we can appreciate all the things Mandela lived in his 27 years in prison and all the things that happened inside South Africa related with racism. The director must had payed a huge paychek because of the costumes used in the movie, the sounds effects are really good, the perfect performance of Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela, etc. On the other hand, we must not see black people as skunks, as pangas for our society, or ulcers just because they're black. We must see them as people who are equal to us, because we both have the same human rights.
