Mesmerizing Movie!

Rating: 10/10 (7 May 2009)

Miracle is one of the better sports movies that I have seen. The movie portrays the United States team's unlikely Gold Medal victory at the 1980 Winter Olympics. It does one hell of a job at capturing one of the greatest moments in sports history.
There are many elements that make the movie great. The actors really get into it and make you believe they are the players. Kurt Russell turns in an astounding performance as Team USA's coach Herb Brooks.
The critical event in the movie however is the time period and events surrounding everything. The Miracle On Ice occurred during the Cold War and not long after the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. Morale was deteriorating at home and the country was in desperate need of a morale booster. That came in the form of a hockey game.
The Soviet Union had been the dominant hockey power for years winning gold medals in 64, 68, 72, and 76. The US is a team made up of young college kids molded into an effective unit by coach Herb Brooks. The US would end up playing the Soviets as a huge underdog. It is a story of the little team that could versus the superpower. David versus Goliath basically. The events taking place made this more then a hockey game. This was a competition between 2 countries with heightened tensions. Even before the puck drops you can feel the intensity in the air.
Overall you don't have to like hockey or know an ice skate from a roller skate to appreciate this movie. It is an unlikely underdog story surrounded by international turmoil. The movie is inspiring and the best fact is it really happened. Miracle is a must see.