Invictus

Reviewed by Drav3n

Format: Blu-ray

Release: May 18, 2010

Rated: PG-13

Runtime: 133 Minutes

The Movie:

Clint Eastwood returns to the director's chair for his latest film "Invictus" which is based on true events and the book "Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Changed a Nation."

Morgan Freeman stars in Clint Eastwood's 2009 film as Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela is finally released after serving 27 years in jail for fighting against apartheid. Once he is released he immediately works to finally bring apartheid to an end. After he is elected president of South Africa, he rejects revenge, actually forgives his oppressors and finds hope for national unity in a rather unlikely place...the rugby field.

Given Clint Eastwood's current track record, I expected this movie to be another hit out of the park. Unfortunately, I felt this movie was lacking somewhere. It had a compelling story, and it had good performances from the actors. But, it didn't have that "grab you" factor like Gran Torino, Million Dollar Baby, or Changeling had. The movie was real straight-forward and the climax of the movie didn't even feel like it was the climax. I felt the movie could have easily been cut by 20-30 minutes, as its current runtime of just under 2:15:00 felt to drag on at times.

Just like you would expect, the acting from Morgan Freeman as Mandela was simply amazing. Freeman's performance is worth watching this movie for. Matt Damon as the captian of the the Springboks rugby team, François Pienaar, was decent, but I feel the role could have been done by just about any other actor. I don't see why Damon was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, but that's just my opinion. Unfortunately the rugby players used in the film lack that "actor-personality" and, therefore, bring nothing additional to the film.

It was still a well-told story, something that Eastwood is excellent at doing. But my complaint is that the tone of the movie seemed to changed as it got closer to the end. It went from an autobiographical drama almost to a sports drama. For a movie that's suppose to be about Mandela, the film doesn't really focus on anything that he had done while being president.

Presentation:

Invictus delivers a good looking transfer on blu-ray, but at the same time, it's not that impressive. The overall image has a relaxed look to it, even a little washed-out looking. BUT, given that this movie is suppose to take place in the early 1990's, maybe Eastwood was going for an aged-looking presentation, if that make sense. Skintones still look acurate, detail is fine and crisp, and facial closeups show an impressive amount of detail. While there is grain present throughout the film, it shouldn't be too distracting. Viewers should be pleased with the results.

Audio:

The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track sounds great. Dialogue is crisp and clear regardless of where the location is. The sound effects are very powerful, especially during the Rugby matches . The score sounds really impressive as well. The audio is outstanding and makes for an enjoyable experience.

Bonus Material:

• Vision, Courage and Honor - An excellent PiP track that features interviews with Eastwood, the cast, and the men that inspired him to do this film and also an in depth behind the scenes look at the movie. This is one of the better PiP tracks to be found on any blu-ray!
• Behind the Story (1080p, Runtime 36:00) - This is broken down into two documentaries: "Mandela Meets Morgan" and "Matt Damn Plays Rugby." The first focuses on Eastwood and the cast as they discuss the characters portrayed, the costumers, and the challenges Eastwood dealt with during shooting. The latter consist of Damon with his teammates and the real men who are being portrayed.
• The Eastwood Factor (480p, Runtime 22:00) - Richard Schickel provides a look at Eastwood's life from actor to director.
• Invictus Music Trailer (1080p)
• BD-Live

Bottom Line:

While it may not have the same feel as some of his most recent films, overall, it's really not a bad movie. If you are unsure about this, give this a rental at least for Freeman's performance. The movie looks good, sound great and the special features are definitely worth a look.