Entertaining, but not creative

Rating: 7/10 (23 January 2006)

There's a very obvious label that typically comes with a Jerry Bruckheimer production: enter at your own risk. With this very cut and dry mantra in place, Glory Road tends to be one of those many misses. Granted it's not like a Bad Boys 2 or a Kangaroo Jack in its badness, but it covers up its ineptitude with schmaltzy moments of saccharine a la Remember the Titans. Fortunately, this only happens in the first half of the movie.
While we get stuck in the usual merry-go-round of sports movie paradigms, the second half of the film takes on a personality of its own. While the racial in fighting between the team members have been verified as false, it provides an interesting allegory about the times they played in. Coach Don Haskins has also stated his intentions weren't about bucking the system, this was the angle that was placed upon the viewer.
What do wish is they had made this movie with a more serious tone to it, much like the second half of the movie. I felt the story would have been more powerful and maybe an Oscar worthy film. Unfortunately, we'll have to stick with this version for the moment until a true sports movie dumps the usual plot points.