A shell of what this movie had the potential to become

Rating: 5/10 (2 January 2017)

The movie takes on the challenge of the complex story of the role of rugby in unifying the new, post-apartheid South Africa, and is interesting overall. It fails, however, to approach the potential of the actual story. The production comes across as a collection of snippets thrown together more than a cohesive story. Furthermore, the progression of popular black South African emotions towards the team, from hatred to approval and adoration, is poorly developed - and as a result seems somewhat false. This movie comes across as more of a feel good movie about post-apartheid unification in South Africa than the more thoughtful analysis of how this sport was used as a symbol/tool for unification in a nation on the brink of civil war due to a very recent and complex history of racial separation/terror.