INVICTUS

The greatest story ever told is always described as the one staring a fellow called Jesus, however if u ask me the tale of the world icon Nelson Mandela creating "one nation," after the terrible period when South Africa was in apartheid, goes close to beating the one about the young christian. This film has all the ingredients to for a truly great film, a huge budget, a proven director in Clint Eastwood, and two fantastic starring actors in the incredibly talented Morgan Freeman and the very likable Matt Damon. What this film really has going for it though is a remarkable and inspiring story based on the real story of the Springboks uniting a split nation. This remarkable story is not let down in the telling of it as Eastwood evokes emotions throughout as he really gets in to the disgusting nature of apartheid and the real conflict between black and white South Africans at the time of Mandela's election and then takes the audience through to the joyful and party atmosphere of a united nation.

The acting on display is of the highest quality. Freeman displays the ability that his reputation has been built on over his long and successful career. his performance is of such a high standard that its almost possible to picture him in this role when thinking of Mandela rather then the actual man himself. The accent and mannerisms are almost perfect to what you can believe the great man himself is actually like. His performance, which got a Oscar nomination, really makes this film and its hard to picture anyone else in this role. He portrays all the emotional sides of this public figure. The hurt from the years in prison, the fear of the task in hand, the optimism of his countries future, the enthusiasm for the sport, the sadness of the distant he has with his family as well as the truly inspirational side of the man. all in all one of the most complete acting performances in a very long time creating huge intrigue in the character and leaving an audience wanting more. This is similar with Matt Damon's Oscar nominated best supporting actor role. this is defiantly Mandela's story and Damon's Francois Pienaar defiantly takes a supporting role as he is not in the film enough based on the great role he plays. The figure is a very interesting and could defiantly be shown in more depth as the role is not big enough to be described to be in equal proportion to Freeman's. But that wouldn't be right anyway because as much as the story is about the remarkable triumph of the Springboks it is in fact a tribute the the great statesmen Nelson Mandela and therefore would be wrong to divert the attention from him.

The directing on show from the iconic Clint Eastwood is very pure as he doesn't try to be too clever and just allows the story and remarkable pictures to do the business. there are some fantastic pictures in this film that show the true beauty of the country that is overshadowed by the disgusting nature of the racist undertones of the former white suppressors and the tenseness left between the characters. The pictures grow more and more positive throughout causing a fantastic surging growth of happiness within that it is impossible not to feel.

Nothing shows the message in the story other then the superb side story between the two bodyguards played by Julian Lewis-Jones and Tony Kgoroge as the two characters who almost represent the two opposite sides of the apartheid learn through the film that they are there working for the same goals creating a huge respect for each other. this creates the great image of the two characters standing next to each other gazing out into the empty Cape Town stadium.

This film comes out in the shadow of the Fifa World Cup 2010 in South Africa, which perhaps in a way shows the huge distance the country has come since 1995, especially when football is seen as the sport for black South Africans rather then the Springboks who were seen to be the team of White South Africans. The film does portray the idea that the country is now completely united. this may not be the case entirely but we can only hope that it made some difference and that for at least one day they got behind one team as one country.