Racial Tension, Hut, Hut

Rating: 7/10 (8 October 2000)

Greetings again from the dark! "Remember the Titans" caught me a little by surprise. The Disney name and previews did not prepare me for the predominant theme of racism throughout the story. Because of this, I cannot proclaim this movie to be the first really great 'football movie'. However, it is a well-made movie loosely based on 1971 racial tension at a high school campus. Denzel, as usual, dominates his scenes with an in-your-face, holier-than-thou acting style. The role seems to have been written for him. Only in a Disney movie could you deal with school integration and not once hear the N-word. There are scenes that bring a touch of reality to this film, but most attempts are pretty lame. The movie is very well paced and beautifully filmed. Director Boaz Yakin shows flashes of being the real thing. I am looking forward to his next outing. Will Patton again shows that he is truly one of the best character actors working in Hollywood today. Three other actors jumped off the screen. Ryan Hurst, as Bertier, has the look and presence of a young Russell Crowe. Child Soap Opera star, Hayden Panettiere, steals her scenes as the young football expert. A little polishing and she could develop into a true film star. Kip Pardue, as Sunshine, may be the prettiest actor since Robert Redford in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid". Hopefully he will accept roles that don't alienate us male viewers. Translated: be a good actor that happens to look great. Overall, I think this movie could be a nice, low-key introduction for kids into what the struggles of racism entailed, as the message is delivered within the confines of feel-good football story.