‘Invictus’ cross film genres

“Invictus”

Starring: Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon

Director: Clint Eastwood

Studio: Spyglass… “Invictus”

Starring: Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon

Director: Clint Eastwood

Studio: Spyglass Entertainment

Grade: A-

It’s uncommon to combine a biopic, political drama and sports flick into one movie.

But Clint Eastwood’s latest filmmaking venture, “Invictus,” is all of the above.

Instead of struggling to fit into one category, “Invictus” finds a way to be all three simultaneously without becoming a confusing cluster of genres.

Based on John Carlin’s book “Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Changed a Nation,” “Invictus” tells the story of 1995 South Africa. It shows the country’s struggle with the ramifications of apartheid, including its divisions along racial and economic lines, and newly elected President Nelson Mandela’s attempt to bring the country together by rallying it behind a rugby team.

The film’s premise would be completely implausible if it weren’t true.

Mandela (Morgan Freeman) finds himself in a tricky situation — part of the country counts on him to succeed, while the other hopes he will fail.

He sees that rugby in South Africa is a white man’s sport, and that blacks view it as one of the last symbols of apartheid.

Mandela asks the South African rugby team’s captain, played by Matt Damon, to win the World Cup, a feat no one thinks possible.

He believes that by convincing the country to support its team in the World Cup, he will convince it to forget the old divisions of apartheid.

In typical Eastwood fashion, the story takes time to develop. The film starts out slow, building Mandela’s case for uniting the country by showing how severe the divide was.

Eastwood creates a perpetually tense atmosphere, mostly attributed to scenes involving Mandela’s security detail.

These scenes are frustratingly intense, and you can’t help but wonder if Eastwood will actually rewrite history and kill off Mandela.

In particular, Tony Kgoroge as head of security is almost unbearable, spending the majority of the film glaring at the audience.

Where Eastwood really shines is in his portrayal of the actual rugby games. He captures the emotions of the stadium with ease and keeps the scenes from becoming too showy.

The viewer becomes invested in the team, as if they are actually in the stadium. During the final game of the World Cup, tension ran so high that people in the theater began cheering after a particularly good play on screen.

Matt Damon, while not outstanding as the South African rugby captain Francois Pienaar, gives a good performance.

It is Freeman as Mandela, though, who is truly impressive.

Freeman plays Mandela gracefully, taking one of the most recognizable voices in the United States and transforming it into a nearly flawless South African accent.

The closing lines, “I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul,” sum up the film perfectly.

Movie-goers will leave the theater feeling like they’ve just watched their favorite team win, regardless of sporting preference.

On the whole, “Invictus” shines as an inspiration to viewers.