Invictus

USA 2009, 133 minutes
Dir. Clint Eastwood
Genres: Drama

Topics: Sport, Indigenous & Minority Cultures.

Aroview: Dir. Clint Eastwood tackles the reunification of post-Apartheid South Africa in this stirring biopic, centred on Nelson Mandela and Springboks captain François Pienaar ahead of the 1995 Rugby World Cup final showdown against the All Blacks.

Part message movie, part underdog sports story, Eastwood’s film is a typically straightforward and uncluttered affair, though the reverence he’s gained as an exponent of ‘simplicity’ here topples over into the rudimentary, while the script’s tendency to overstate its Big Themes also contributes to the corny end-product. Still, thoroughly recommended for rugby fans (more so than history buffs – there are better films about South African politics) who’ll find this incongruously American perspective on our national game (and the World Cup final we lost) a curiosity.

Member Reviews

Average rating (Good Try). Showing 1-1 of 1 member reviews.

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2 stars (Good Try) The script is not particularly strong but the screenplay is well-intentioned. I know it takes a long time to pack a scrum but the film is too long for its own good. ~Tubbs