Miracle 4/10

Rating: Null/10 (17 October 2004)

Miracle
In this less than miraculous drama, story of the team that transcended its sport and united a nation with a new feeling of hope. Based on the true story of one of the greatest moments in sports history, the tale captures a time and place where differences could be settled by games and a cold war could be put on ice. In 1980, the United States Ice Hockey team's coach, Herb Brooks, took a ragtag squad of college kids up against the legendary juggernaut from the Soviet Union at the Olympic Games. Despite the long odds, Team USA carried the pride of a nation yearning from a distraction from world events. With the world watching the team rose to the occasion, prompting broadcaster Al Michaels' now famous question, to the millions viewing at home: Do you believe in miracles?
I saw this on a rainy night at the theater. I had to sit in the front row, which might have made my viewing on this film different, but I still don't like... Kurt Russell gives a decent performance as the coach but, unlike Remember the Titans, the film focused on the team rather than the coach. And it's not necessarily terrible when a sports movie focuses on the coach, but I've always found the players much more interesting. I just saw Friday NIGHT LIGHTS, and I liked it better than this but not as good as REMEMBER THE TITANS.
I know I shouldn't be comparing two totally different sport movies that aren't even the same sport, but what else do you compare this to? I was quite bored during this film. It's clunky, uneven, annoying, and worst of all boring. I'm not bashing this film completely, I mean if was inspirational but its flaws stick out at you like a jack-in-the-box.
MIRACLE- 4 from 10
PG- rough sports action and language, including a brief sexual reference.