Nelson Mandela And Rugby

Rating: 10/10 (31 December 2011)

Morgan Freeman portrays anti-apartheid activist and former South African president Nelson Mandela in this Clint Eastwood-helmed political drama adapted from author John Carlin's book The Human Factor: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Changed the World. Set just after the fall of apartheid and during Mandela's first term in office, The Human Factor explores how the political prisoner-turned-president used the 1995 Rugby World Cup -- which was hosted by South Africa -- as a means of bringing blacks and whites together after decades of violence and mistrust.This biographical sports drama is directed by Clint Eastwood and it co-stars Matt Damon.
After 27 years in jail, Nelson Mandela is released in 1990 and subsequently elected President of South Africa. His immediate challenge is "balancing black aspirations with white fears", as racial tensions from the apartheid era have not completely disappeared. While Mandela attempts to tackle the country's largest problems—crime and unemployment, among many others—he attends a game of the Springboks, the country's rugby union team. Mandela recognizes that the blacks in the stadium cheer against their home squad, as the Springboks represent prejudice and apartheid in their minds. Mandela remarks that he did the same while imprisoned on Robben Island. Knowing that South Africa is set to host the 1995 Rugby World Cup in one year's time, Mandela convinces a meeting of the newly-black-dominated South African Sports Committee to support the Springboks. He then meets with the captain of the Springboks rugby team, François Pienaar, and implies that a Springboks victory in the World Cup will unite and inspire the nation. Mandela also shares with Pienaar a poem, "Invictus", that had inspired him during his time in prison.Pienaar and his teammates train. Many South Africans, both white and black, doubt that rugby will unite a nation torn apart by some 50 years of racial tensions. For many non-whites, especially the radicals, the Springboks symbolized white supremacy. However, both Mandela and Pienaar stand firmly behind their theory that the game can successfully unite the country.Things begin to change, however, as the players interact with the locals.
This Clint Eastwood film provides a great theme and it is sentimental with inter-racial relations themes particularly in South Africa with the use of rugby - the country's primary sports.It provides inspiration as well together with a tribute to the country's great man in Nelson Mandela.Although it gathers Eastwood,top Hollywood actors and top South African actors,one thing about the movie is its lack of vitality and energy that would hold the viewer in watching it.Nevertheless,both Matt Damon as the captain of the Springboks rugby team, François Pienaar and Morgan Freeman as former South African president Nelson Mandela inhabit their real-life characters with admirable conviction.