Invictus

"Invictus" is the latest film to be produced and directed by Clint Eastwood (who, generally speaking, makes great movies.) He is currently 79 and is still making unbelievable, quality films. "Invictus" stars Morgan Freeman - his third collaboration with Clint Eastwood ("Unforgiven and "Million Dollar Baby" were the first two). Matt Damon co-stars along with several other people you have probably never heard of in your life.

It's South Africa, circa 1995. Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman, if you couldn't guess) is finally out of prison and has been elected president of South Africa (for those who are completely unaware). As it turns out, Nelson Mandela is quite a huge fan of rugby and uses the 1995 World Cup as a way to unite his country after years of apartheid. Matt Damon plays Francois Pienarr, the captain of the rugby team.

Well, Morgan Freeman is in this movie, no lie. I love this man, mainly because he is an amazing actor. He apparently was born to play Nelson Mandela. It is both uncanny and ridiculous how seamlessly Morgan Freeman slipped into the role of leader and president of South Africa. His voice is fantastic, so of course, he narrates a little bit of this movie, which makes me, and I'm assuming most Americans, so happy. The inflection and power of his voice and acting, just in general, is fantastic. He has a great command of the screen. So I am guessing he will get an Oscar nomination because the Academy loves when great actors play real people. This isn't to say that Matt Damon isn't also great, because he is. He has great chemistry with Morgan Freeman. Over the years he has proven himself to be a versatile actor. Just watch "Invictus" and "The Informant!" from earlier this year and you will see the range that he possesses as an actor. He also puts on quite the South African accent in this movie. Both actors were perfect choices for the movie and added to my overall enjoyment.

I love cinematography in movies so I'll talk about that for a bit. Overall, there are some great shots in this movie, lots of tracking shots, close-ups as we see reactions from people, and aerial shots of buildings an such. Another really exciting thing for me is that Clint Eastwood and the cast and crew physically flew to South Africa while filming a movie that takes place...in South Africa! It's fantastic and the way things should be. We get a look at the poor areas of the country as well as some government buildings and the rugby stadium and such. All of this adds to the visual appeal of the movie. If you are going to watch a movie, it mind as well be great to look at. In that regard, Clint Eastwood came through once again. Yeah, I am kind of biased because I am a huge fan of that man and his movies, but whatever...Oh, and this doesn't have to do with cinematography, but I'll put it here anyway. This movie also has lots of African music on it's soundtrack (just in case you forget where it's set) and adds an authentic quality to "Invictus" and fits well in several scenes.

The movie as a whole is pretty powerful, which is great. Movies should always try to get an emotional response from the audience because otherwise there really is no point in spending the 6-12 bucks to see it in theaters or spend over 2 hours watching it. It's amazing that Nelson Mandela was able to forgive the people who imprisoned him for 27 years and become president of South Africa. That strong leadership quality and immense positive character is incredibly present in this film. Also present is the idea that a country can be unified even after years of terrible turmoil.

In case you don't know, I loved this movie. I thought it was very well made/acted/etc. There were a couple things that kept me from giving it a perfect rating. It is a little too long. The last scene in particular where they are in the rugby playoffs feels a little drawn out, especially for those like me, who are really confused by rugby to begin with. Also, in the last scene some slow motion is used and it just seems too cliché and cheesy for a movie of such high quality. A couple characters annoyed me as well - like Francois' girlfriend and one of the women that works for Nelson Mandela. Also, its kind of hard to explain, I guess you have to see it, but a couple scenes seemed like they switched too quickly and the editing just didn't feel completely natural and fluid.

Clint Eastwood follows last year's "Changeling" and "Gran Torino," with "Invictus." Eastwood's latest movie is pretty powerful and boasts great performances by its two leads. It also looks fantastic. It is definitely going to be getting some Oscar recognition, or at least nominations. It would have been even better if it were edited down slightly and if the feel of the ending was more realistic. 3 1/2 out of 4 stars...I would recommend it to fans of Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon, or well-made movies in general. I think most people would be impressed by this movie...or at least enjoy it.

-Joseph Sbrilli