Invictus (film)
- Morgan Freeman: Nelson Mandela
- Scott Eastwood: Joel Stransky
- Zak Feaunati: Jonah Lomu
- Langley Kirkwood: George
- Bonnie Henna: Zindzi
- Rolf E. Fitschen: Naka Drotske
- Sean Cameron Michael: Springbok manager
- Matthew Dylan Roberts: Cabinet Minister
- Patrick Walton Jr.: Kitch Christie (Springbok coach )
- Marguerite Wheatley: Nerine Winter
- Robert Hobbs: Willem
- Tony Kgoroge: Jason Tshabalala
- Patrick Holland: Jim Fleming ( voice )
- Patrick Mofokeng: Linga Moonsamy
- Matt Stern: Hendrick Booyens
- Mike Falkow: announcer
- Stelio Savante: Rugby commentator
- Vaughn Thompson: Rudolph Straeuli
- Charl Engelbrecht: Garry Pagel
- Graham Lindemann: Kobus Wiese
- Julian Lewis Jones as Nelson Mandela's bodyguard
Invictus - Invictus (Original Title: Invictus, dt: " The Undefeated " and " The unconquered " ) is an American feature from director Clint Eastwood on the non-fiction book " The victory of Nelson Mandela: How friends out of enemies were " ( original title " Playing the Enemy " ) by John Carlin in 2008, who came to German cinemas on February 18, 2010. Even before the film's release in the U.S. on December 11, 2009, the film was seen as an Oscar contender.
The film's title refers to the poem " Invictus " by William Ernest Henley, which, during the years of his imprisonment had given support and comfort to the resistance fighters, and later President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela.
Action
Nelson Mandela, after decades of imprisonment on Robben Iceland released in 1990 and won four years later after the end of apartheid, the first black presidential elections. One of his main concerns is to overcome the gulf between the white minority and the black majority. He attends a game of the Springboks, the South African rugby union team, which is considered a symbol of subdued white rule, as rugby is the national sport, especially the Boers, and gets by most blacks no support.
Because of apartheid, the team of the early 1980s to 1992 was boycotted by most other teams. In view of the forthcoming Rugby Union World Cup in 1995 on home soil Mandela convinces the black members of the newly formed South African Rugby Union in 1992 to maintain the old symbols and colors of the team. Mandela meets captain Francois Pienaar and gives this indirectly to understand that a successful showing at the World Cup is the best way to bring the different communities closer together.
Many doubt that the sport can overcome 50 years racial segregation, especially with one exception only white player belonging to the Springboks and the only black threatens to fail in the team because of an injury to the Achilles tendon. The mood changes when the players arrive before the World Cup through the country and get in touch with the people, so that even the blacks begin to support the Springboks. As Mandela visited the World Cup games and shows in a Springbok jersey in the final, he pulls so that the public finally on his side.
The Springboks, who are not among the favorites, despite the home advantage and their reputation because they were heavily marked by years of isolation from the lack of international match practice encounter, rather surprisingly up to the World Cup finals, where they meet the All Blacks in New Zealand - the best team in the world and for decades the biggest rivals of South Africans. Before an enthusiastic crowd Pienaar drives the team to overcome their doubts and to push themselves to their limits. The regular season ends in a draw and it comes up for renewal, in which the Springboks can prevail and become world champion. On the pitch Mandela Pienaar handed the World Cup trophy.
Production
Screenplay
The screenplay is based on the book The victory of Nelson Mandela: How were friends out of enemies ( Original: Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation ) by John Carlin. The working title of the film was "The Human Factor". The script writer met with Carlin at his residence in Barcelona to discuss the transformation of his novel into a screenplay.
Occupation
Morgan Freeman was cast as the first actor for the role of Nelson Mandela, then Matt Damon as Francois Pienaar. Matt Damon got for his role as team captain intensive rugby training of Chester Williams at the Gardens Rugby Club in Cape Town.
Awards
Invictus was honored by the National Board of Review with the awards in the categories of Best Director and Best Actor ( Morgan Freeman ), 2009. Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon each received a nomination for the Golden Globe Award in 2010. Freeman and Damon were still nominated for an Oscar.
Reception
Don Beck, who in 1995 designed the motivation plan of the rugby team, the film was true to life and well-balanced.
" Eastwood tells in his late works often from failure and revealed in films like Mystic River and Gran Torino, a deeply pessimistic view of the world. The more idealistic and heroic voted is his Nelson Mandela anthem Invictus, making the film even flatter than other Eastwood - directed work. He is weakest in the moments when he takes the conventions of the sports film, and most, when he celebrates the victory over racism. [ ... ] Conclusion: In an emotionally enthralling mix of biopic and sports movie Invictus is a largely unknown chapter of the democratic transition in South Africa ".
" This also shows Clint Eastwood notch staged biography drama, even if it auftrumpft more athletic as a socially and politically. The weaknesses and omissions are covered by a magnificent Morgan Freeman and Eastwood inszenatorischem sense. "
"While the fully featured, expertly played film was somewhat viscous staged, but confident in the nuanced portrayal of figures and culminates in the final thrilling World Cup match. Nevertheless, it remains the view of the persistent problems of today's South Africa's guilty. "