| Invictus | |
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It was inevitable that the man whose skill at playing the magic negro (if you don't know what I mean, wikipedia is happy to help) would be drafted in to take on the role of one of the greatest world leaders of the twentieth century, Nelson Mandela; not least because, supposedly, when Nelson Mandela himself was asked who he would like to play him should a biopic be made, he chose Mr. Freeman himself. But therein lies a big problem. Mandela is not a casting director. His (and, of course, director Clint Eastwood's) decision to cast the obvious choice neglected some serious flaws in Freeman's ability to take on the daunting role. Firstly, Morgan Freeman is from Memphis, Tennessee. Secondly, the only accent he has ever attempted is that found in Memphis, Tennessee. This is painfully evident throughout the film when, every other scene, Freeman visibly attempts to correct his wayward accent. If you can get past this, what Invictus can be enjoyed as is a half decent sports movie imbued with the significance of a serious political backdrop. The decision to approach the subject matter in such a way is, depending on your perspective, either trite and frustrating or sheer genius. Using the development of the South African rugby team in the build up to the rugby world cup as a symbol of Mandela's ability to unite a nation is, in many ways, incredibly lazy and reductive. Yes, he did eagerly publicise the team as a way to unite a nation that had been hideously divided for generations. But to present this as an obsession which exceeded his many other policies and talents is not only somewhat insufficient but also a bit dull. However, the flip side of this approach is that by making an issue (which continues to be at the forefront of  American culture) into something easily accessible and relatable to a larger audience is an enormous achievement by Clint Eastwood. A story that could potentially have been deemed niche by some is made into something that is not just popular and recognisable, but tat has built-in emotional devices to jerk those tears on cue (with the aid of the usual bombastic score).Regardless of your perspective on the way Eastwood handles this most worthy of stories, there are three things that stand out about this film. Firstly, that it is a bland sports movie formula with some added political significance and cinematic sheen added (and therefore nothing especially new or exciting), secondly, it's lead actor looks out of place throughout the majority of the film, thirdly, Matt Damon puts in another stellar performance that occasionally manages to compensate for the failings of his opposite number. Overall, two negative points, one positive. If you know nothing about Nelson Mandela or this period in South African history, (or about the acting talents of Matt Damon), it's worth a watch because it's important subject matter. Otherwise this is a missable film that offers little above and beyond a bog-standard sports movie. Rating: ** Starring: Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon, Tony Kgoroge, Patrick Mofokeng, Matt Stern Director: Clint Eastwood Run time: 133 mins Certificate: UK 12A | US PG-13 Release date: 5th February 2010 Review by Michael Edwards
For a more edgy look at race politics, check out A Prophet |
He's one of the most important black men in history. He rose above all expectations a bigoted society held for his kind and became an inspirational figure whose bold statements and tireless hard work won the respect of millions. His name? Need I even say it? Morgan Freeman.
