Apartheid's end meets the World Cup

Rating: 8/10 (12 July 2010)

Since the World Cup just ended - and it was held in South Africa this year - and since this year marks the twentieth anniversary of Nelson Mandela's release from prison, it seems like a good time to watch Clint Eastwood's "Invictus". The movie focuses on Mandela's (Morgan Freeman) goal of using the 1995 Rugby World Cup to unite South Africans of all colors. Freeman plays Mandela perfectly, showing how the leader aimed to balance the wishes of both blacks and whites.
Even if, like me, you know practically nothing about rugby, this movie is still very enjoyable. The point is that Mandiba (Mandela's tribal name) did what he thought was the right thing to do, even at the risk of alienating one side or the other. Another focus within the movie is Springboks captain François Pienaar (Matt Damon). Having been raised under apartheid, Pienaar is not used to having a black leader, but he understands that it is his duty to help unite South Africa.
Admittedly, the movie is a little simplistic in the sense that it makes it look as nothing bad ever happened again after the 1995 World Cup, while crime, poverty and unemployment persist in South Africa to this day. But it is important to realize the role that the tournament played in showing how Nelson Mandela was serious about bringing together his entire country in a common cause, so I definitely recommend it.