Invictus

Film appreciation is a term that seems to be very easy to understand.If you put it bluntly, it would be appreciating films. when i Google it i got a few different theories that seemed a little sensible and wierd too. We are here to talk, understand and promote good cinema. Lets get started by discussing a film which i very recently saw clint eastwood's Invictus.

Invictus is a film about president Nelson Mandela, during his tenure as the president of south africa after serving 30 years in Jail inspires the southafrican rugby team to win the rugby world cup. The president played by Morgan Freeman and Matt damon plays the rugby team captain. He was convicted for crime by his own fellow southafricans, the whites for thirty years.

Imagine the morale of the person serving 30 years of jail, where he lived inside a single cell(seen in the film), comes out gets elected as a president employs personal security officers, the white southafricans and inspiring the rugby team that is mostly comprised of white people. Matt damon sensibly plays the supporting role with conviction and pulls it off with aplomb.

In most of the good movies that you see we will remember some of the key sequences for some time. Invictus had a key sequence before the day of the final of the world cup when matt damon tells to his girl friend about the president's desire to lift his country after all the problems south africa has faced. That shot was there for about 30 seconds, but it was emotionally touching. The director Clint eastwood and screenplay writer Anthony Peckham has rather intelligently established another key sequence before in the film where Matt damon visits the Jail and Sir nelson mandela's small cell. Creating that sequence perfectly establishes the required emotional connect for the previous scene that we discussed.

During the finale cinematographer Tom Stern and director clint eastwood has used ultra slow motion cameras to film the world cup final.Interestingly most of the films where the 'finale' is a sports game has used slow motion sequences. Martin scorsese's 'raging Bull' , Guy ritchie's 'Snatch', Venkat Prabhu's 'chennai 28' , '300'.

The president has understood way before that inspiring a team to win world cup would make sure, the win would be a tool that will bring together whites and blacks. The idea has been brilliantly executed by the director by showing a young Black guy celebrating the victory with a group of white men. People cheering and chanting together while watching the match in the Bars or office television sets. When you see a film alone and if u stand up and clap during the start of the end credits
you know you have more than liked the film. I had the same feeling after watching the movie. Morgan freeman is the best person to play the president and also the executive producer of the film. He has lived the role and its the role of a lifetime. The
promotional poster of the film had Matt damon in the front and Morgan freeman looming large over him the background. This poster essentially says the perspective of americans about nelson mandela. For the film to sell, Matt damon ,the current heartthrob after the hugely successful 'bourne franchise', 'the departed' and the lesser known gem 'the informant' is the trump card.

Clint eastwood, 80, still makes movies and makes them as one of the best movies of the year. I dont think a filmmaker at this age would make movies for money, it must be hugely personal satisfaction. All these years he has amazed us by his movies across different genres. This one is also very special like the 'mystic river' , 'changeling' , and 'the unforgiven'.

I am Rajiv Muralidharan, you can view my blog at rajiv-muralidharan@blogspot.com. You can discuss about the film at my blog or even send your comments to rajivvikaas@gmail.com