A Long Awaited Gem

Rating: 10/10 (19 December 2009)

I had first heard of the prospect of Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela in around 2005, I think it was. Its title then was The Human Element. Even at the time, I thought it was a perfect choice. It was not until later that I understood it would be directed by my hero Clint Eastwood and not just be about the Madiba's journey from extremist to world leader, but about his role in uniting his country with the 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa. Being a fan of sports films, especially historical ones with profound messages (my name is Rudy, after all), I was excited with the prospect.
I finally saw Invictus last night. I was brought to tears at some parts of the film, not of sorrow, but joy for what the World Cup had allowed to happen. Following years of brutal tyranny under apartheid, Madiba (a tribal honorific that people call Mandela), a former belligerent, turned the other cheek. Imprisoned for nearly three decades in a small room and forced to work in a lime quarry, we learn how he overcame this hardship, reading William Henley's poem Invictus and studying the ways of his Afrikaner jailers. When released, he campaigned actively for unity and eventually was elected President of South Africa by his peers in the black majority. Not long into his administration, he attends a Springbok Rugby match and sees the division between his people. The Afrikaners are for the Springboks, but the Africans are for the English team. He then sets out to do what he can to garner support for the Springboks, pushing against the current of his own people who see the team as part of the apartheid era. With his commanding voice and uncanny appearance, one would think Freeman truly was Madiba, himself.
Matt Damon serves as the other protagonist, Springbok captain Francois Pienaar. An inspiring leader like Madiba, he at first just wants the Springboks to win just one bloody game. He's the son of a racist Afrikaner father, though he himself never seems to be in that circle. When he gets to know Mandela better, Pienaar himself changes. He enforces PR opportunities for the World Cup and helps coordinate a team trip to the closed prison of Robben Island, where Mandela was held for most of his twenty-seven year term. Inspired by his new president, Pienaar is able to rally the troops and make it all the way to the Cup. The problem is that their opponent, New Zealand, is a powerhouse. You are kept on the edge of your seat the entire match.
I hope not to ruin the film for anyone, though I have warned for some spoilers. I've tried to keep this review short as to avoid that and make you see the movie to get the full scoop. However, if you are reading this, I highly implore to see the film. This is the best film of 2009 in my mind, so far. I should hope that it would receive Oscars, plural. Its hard to remember that Clint directed it, but then again the beautiful music of his son Kyle and his amazing taste for projects and for actors and scenes make him one of my favorites. In the absence of unity, a nation can tear itself apart. Eastwood shows us that one man can start the long road to peace, and Morgan Freeman, as always, shows us just how that can be done.