One Of The Most Memorable Sports Picture Released

Rating: 9/10 (12 October 2011)

The film,Victory is a story about Allied prisoners football players. A team of Allied prisoners of war (POWs), coached and represented by Englishman Captain John Colby agree to play an exhibition match against a German team, only to find themselves involved in a German propaganda stunt.He is the captain and essentially the manager of the team and thus chooses his squad of players.American POW Hatch is not initially chosen, but eventually nags the reluctant Colby into letting him on the team.The superior officers repeatedly try to convince Colby to use the match as an opportunity for an escape attempt,but he refuses,fearing that such an attempt will only result in getting his players killed.
Meanwhile, Hatch has been planning an unrelated escape attempt,and Colby's superiors agree to help him, if he in return agrees to journey to Paris, make contact with the French Resistance, and try to convince them to help the soccer team escape.He succeeds in escaping the prison camp, traveling to Paris, and finding the Resistance, but the Resistance decides that the plan to help the soccer team escape is too risky; they not only refuse to help, but also convince Hatch to get re-captured, so he can pass information along back to the leading British officers at the prison camp.Fearing another escape attempt, the Germans initially refuse to allow Hatch to participate in the match, but Colby breaks the existing goalkeeper's arm as an excuse to get Hatch back onto the team.
The match officials being heavily biased towards the Germans, and the German team causing several deliberate injuries to the Allied players, a draw is achieved.Hatch plays goalkeeper, and makes excellent saves including one last save from a penalty kick as time expires to deny the Germans the win, drawing the game 4–4. Before the penalty kick the POWs had scored a goal which was disallowed by the referee for a dubious offside decision, making the score 5–4, prompting the crowd to shout "VICTORY!!!"They manage to escape at the end of the game, amidst the confusion caused by the crowd storming the field after it ends in a draw.
Victory maybe a have all the elements of an underdog sports picture especially with a final match in the end,but it became a memorable one.One reason is that football happens to be arguably the most popular sport in the world.Also,the actors in the movie were well-known like Sylvester Stallone,who played Hatch;Michael Caine,who played Colby; and Max von Sydow.Finally,the film also has the participation of well-known football players like Bobby Moore, Osvaldo Ardiles, Kazimierz Deyna, Paul Van Himst, Mike Summerbee, Hallvar Thoresen and Pelé.John Huston's direction was also worth the mention.This is one excellent sports.A must-see for football fans and people who love the underdog.Also,it was one hell of an enjoyable and entertaining film.