Invictus (film)
Encyclopedia
Invictus is a 2009 biographical sports drama film
directed by Clint Eastwood
starring Morgan Freeman
and Matt Damon
.
The story is based on the John Carlin
book Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Changed a Nation about the events in South Africa
before and during the 1995 Rugby World Cup
, hosted in that country following the dismantling of apartheid. Freeman and Damon play, respectively, South African President
Nelson Mandela
and François Pienaar
, the captain of the South African rugby union
team the Springboks
. Invictus was released in the United States on December 11, 2009. The title Invictus may be translated from the Latin
as undefeated or unconquered, and is the title of a poem
by English poet William Ernest Henley
(1849–1903).
(Morgan Freeman
) is released in 1990 and subsequently elected President of South Africa. His immediate challenge is "balancing black aspirations with white fears", as racial tensions from the apartheid era have not completely disappeared.
While Mandela attempts to tackle the country's largest problems—crime and unemployment, among many others—he attends a game of the Springboks
, the country's rugby union
team. Mandela recognizes that the blacks in the stadium cheer against their home squad, as the Springboks represent prejudice and apartheid in their minds. Mandela remarks that he did the same while imprisoned on Robben Island
. Knowing that South Africa is set to host the 1995 Rugby World Cup
in one year's time, Mandela convinces a meeting of the newly-black-dominated South African Sports Committee to support the Springboks. He then meets with the captain of the Springboks rugby team, François Pienaar
(Matt Damon
), and implies that a Springboks victory in the World Cup will unite and inspire the nation. Mandela also shares with Pienaar a poem, "Invictus
", that had inspired him during his time in prison.
Pienaar and his teammates train. Many South Africans, both white and black, doubt that rugby will unite a nation torn apart by some 50 years of racial tensions. For many non-whites, especially the radicals, the Springboks symbolised white supremacy. However, both Mandela and Pienaar stand firmly behind their theory that the game can successfully unite the country.
Things begin to change, however, as the players interact with the locals. During the opening games, support for the Springboks begins to grow among the non-white population. By the second game, citizens of all races attend to support the Springboks and Mandela's efforts.
The Springboks surpass all expectations and qualify for the final match against New Zealand All Blacks—the most successful rugby team in the world then and now. Prior to the game, the Springbok team visits Robben Island
, where Mandela spent 27 years in jail. Pienaar mentions his amazement that Mandela "could spend thirty years in a tiny cell, and come out ready to forgive the people who put [him] there".
Supported by a large home crowd of both whites and blacks, Pienaar motivates his team. The Springboks win the match on a last-minute long drop-kick from fly-half Joel Stransky
(Scott Eastwood
), with a score of 15–12. Mandela and Pienaar meet on the field together to celebrate the improbable and unexpected victory. Mandela's car is then seen driving away in the traffic-jammed streets leaving the stadium. As Mandela watches the South Africans celebrating together in the car, Morgan Freeman's voice is heard reciting the poem, "Invictus
".
. The filmmakers met with Carlin for a week in his Barcelona
home, discussing how to transform the book into a screenplay
. Morgan Freeman was the first actor to be cast, as Mandela. Matt Damon
was then cast as team captain Pienaar, despite being significantly smaller than him and much smaller than members of the current Springbok squad.
He was given intensive coaching by Chester Williams
, another star of the 1995 team, at the Gardens Rugby League Club. Filming began in March 2009 in Cape Town
. "In terms of stature and stars, this certainly is one of the biggest films ever to be made in South Africa," said Laurence Mitchell, the head of the Cape Film Commission. On March 18, 2009, Scott Eastwood
was cast in an unspecified role, but it is understood to be flyhalf Joel Stransky
(whose drop goal provided the Springboks' winning margin in the 1995 final).
Over Christmas 2008, auditions had taken place in London
to try to find a well-known British actor to play Pienaar's father, but in March it was decided to cast a lesser-known South African actor instead.
The ex-Bath Rugby
player Zak Feaunati
was cast as New Zealand player Jonah Lomu
. Primary filming in South Africa was completed in May 2009. Grant Roberts was cast as Ruben Kruger
, who was the Springboks' other starting flanker
in 1995.
reports that 76% of critics (and 87% of the Top Critics) have given the film a positive review based on 218 reviews, with an average score of 6.6/10. The critical consensus is: Delivered with typically stately precision from director Clint Eastwood, Invictus may not be rousing enough for some viewers, but Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman inhabit their real-life characters with admirable conviction.
Critic David Ansen
wrote:
Roger Ebert
of the Chicago Sun-Times
gave the film three and a half stars and wrote:
Shave Magazines Jake Tomlinson wrote:
Variety
s Todd McCarthy wrote:
. Currently, its worldwide total stands at US$122,233,971, with US$37.4 million in North America.
Broadcast Film Critics' Association Awards (2010)
The film was nominated for four awards from the Broadcast Film Critics' Association in the following categories:
Cesar Awards
ESPY Awards
Golden Globes (2010)
The film was nominated for three Golden Globe Awards in the following categories:
NAACP Image Awards
National Board of Review (2009)
The film was nominated for two awards from the National Board of Review in the following categories:
Screen Actors' Guild (2010)
The film was nominated for two awards from the Screen Actors' Guild in the following categories:
WAFCA Award (2009)
The film was nominated for two awards from the Washington DC Area Film Critics Association awards in the following categories:
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...
starring Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman is an American actor, film director, aviator and narrator. He is noted for his reserved demeanor and authoritative speaking voice. Freeman has received Academy Award nominations for his performances in Street Smart, Driving Miss Daisy, The Shawshank Redemption and Invictus and won...
and Matt Damon
Matt Damon
Matthew Paige "Matt" Damon is an American actor, screenwriter, and philanthropist whose career was launched following the success of the film Good Will Hunting , from a screenplay he co-wrote with friend Ben Affleck...
.
The story is based on the John Carlin
John Carlin
John Carlin is a journalist and author, dealing with both sports and politics. His book Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game that Made a Nation about former South African president Nelson Mandela is the basis for the 2009 film Invictus.-Personal life:Carlin was born to a Scottish father...
book Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Changed a Nation about the events in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
before and during the 1995 Rugby World Cup
1995 Rugby World Cup
The 1995 Rugby World Cup was the third Rugby World Cup. It was hosted and won by South Africa, and was the first Rugby World Cup in which every match was held in one country....
, hosted in that country following the dismantling of apartheid. Freeman and Damon play, respectively, South African President
President of South Africa
The President of the Republic of South Africa is the head of state and head of government under South Africa's Constitution. From 1961 to 1994, the head of state was called the State President....
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
and François Pienaar
Francois Pienaar
Jacobus Francois Pienaar is a South African former rugby union player. He played flanker for South Africa from 1993 until 1996, winning 29 international caps, all of them as captain. He is best known for leading South Africa to victory in the 1995 Rugby World Cup...
, the captain of the South African rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team the Springboks
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
. Invictus was released in the United States on December 11, 2009. The title Invictus may be translated from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
as undefeated or unconquered, and is the title of a poem
Invictus
"Invictus" is a short Victorian poem by the English poet William Ernest Henley .- Background :At the age of 12, Henley contracted tuberculosis of the bone. A few years later, the disease progressed to his foot, and physicians announced that the only way to save his life was to amputate directly...
by English poet William Ernest Henley
William Ernest Henley
William Ernest Henley was an English poet, critic and editor, best remembered for his 1875 poem "Invictus".-Life and career:...
(1849–1903).
Plot
After 27 years in jail, Nelson MandelaNelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
(Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman is an American actor, film director, aviator and narrator. He is noted for his reserved demeanor and authoritative speaking voice. Freeman has received Academy Award nominations for his performances in Street Smart, Driving Miss Daisy, The Shawshank Redemption and Invictus and won...
) is released in 1990 and subsequently elected President of South Africa. His immediate challenge is "balancing black aspirations with white fears", as racial tensions from the apartheid era have not completely disappeared.
While Mandela attempts to tackle the country's largest problems—crime and unemployment, among many others—he attends a game of the Springboks
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
, the country's rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team. Mandela recognizes that the blacks in the stadium cheer against their home squad, as the Springboks represent prejudice and apartheid in their minds. Mandela remarks that he did the same while imprisoned on Robben Island
Robben Island
Robben Island is an island in Table Bay, 6.9 km west of the coast of Bloubergstrand, Cape Town, South Africa. The name is Dutch for "seal island". Robben Island is roughly oval in shape, 3.3 km long north-south, and 1.9 km wide, with an area of 5.07 km². It is flat and only a...
. Knowing that South Africa is set to host the 1995 Rugby World Cup
1995 Rugby World Cup
The 1995 Rugby World Cup was the third Rugby World Cup. It was hosted and won by South Africa, and was the first Rugby World Cup in which every match was held in one country....
in one year's time, Mandela convinces a meeting of the newly-black-dominated South African Sports Committee to support the Springboks. He then meets with the captain of the Springboks rugby team, François Pienaar
Francois Pienaar
Jacobus Francois Pienaar is a South African former rugby union player. He played flanker for South Africa from 1993 until 1996, winning 29 international caps, all of them as captain. He is best known for leading South Africa to victory in the 1995 Rugby World Cup...
(Matt Damon
Matt Damon
Matthew Paige "Matt" Damon is an American actor, screenwriter, and philanthropist whose career was launched following the success of the film Good Will Hunting , from a screenplay he co-wrote with friend Ben Affleck...
), and implies that a Springboks victory in the World Cup will unite and inspire the nation. Mandela also shares with Pienaar a poem, "Invictus
Invictus
"Invictus" is a short Victorian poem by the English poet William Ernest Henley .- Background :At the age of 12, Henley contracted tuberculosis of the bone. A few years later, the disease progressed to his foot, and physicians announced that the only way to save his life was to amputate directly...
", that had inspired him during his time in prison.
Pienaar and his teammates train. Many South Africans, both white and black, doubt that rugby will unite a nation torn apart by some 50 years of racial tensions. For many non-whites, especially the radicals, the Springboks symbolised white supremacy. However, both Mandela and Pienaar stand firmly behind their theory that the game can successfully unite the country.
Things begin to change, however, as the players interact with the locals. During the opening games, support for the Springboks begins to grow among the non-white population. By the second game, citizens of all races attend to support the Springboks and Mandela's efforts.
The Springboks surpass all expectations and qualify for the final match against New Zealand All Blacks—the most successful rugby team in the world then and now. Prior to the game, the Springbok team visits Robben Island
Robben Island
Robben Island is an island in Table Bay, 6.9 km west of the coast of Bloubergstrand, Cape Town, South Africa. The name is Dutch for "seal island". Robben Island is roughly oval in shape, 3.3 km long north-south, and 1.9 km wide, with an area of 5.07 km². It is flat and only a...
, where Mandela spent 27 years in jail. Pienaar mentions his amazement that Mandela "could spend thirty years in a tiny cell, and come out ready to forgive the people who put [him] there".
Supported by a large home crowd of both whites and blacks, Pienaar motivates his team. The Springboks win the match on a last-minute long drop-kick from fly-half Joel Stransky
Joel Stransky
Joel Theodore Stransky is a former South African rugby union rugby player, most notable for scoring all of South Africa's points, including the famous dramatic winning drop goal, against New Zealand in the 1995 Rugby World Cup final. He played as a fly-half.-Early life:Stransky was born in...
(Scott Eastwood
Scott Eastwood
-Life and career:Reeves was born in Carmel, California but grew up in Hawaii. He is the son of actor-director Clint Eastwood and flight attendant Jacelyn Reeves, elder brother of Kathryn Reeves -Life and career:Reeves was born in Carmel, California but grew up in Hawaii. He is the son of...
), with a score of 15–12. Mandela and Pienaar meet on the field together to celebrate the improbable and unexpected victory. Mandela's car is then seen driving away in the traffic-jammed streets leaving the stadium. As Mandela watches the South Africans celebrating together in the car, Morgan Freeman's voice is heard reciting the poem, "Invictus
Invictus
"Invictus" is a short Victorian poem by the English poet William Ernest Henley .- Background :At the age of 12, Henley contracted tuberculosis of the bone. A few years later, the disease progressed to his foot, and physicians announced that the only way to save his life was to amputate directly...
".
Cast
- Morgan FreemanMorgan FreemanMorgan Freeman is an American actor, film director, aviator and narrator. He is noted for his reserved demeanor and authoritative speaking voice. Freeman has received Academy Award nominations for his performances in Street Smart, Driving Miss Daisy, The Shawshank Redemption and Invictus and won...
as Nelson MandelaNelson MandelaNelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing... - Matt DamonMatt DamonMatthew Paige "Matt" Damon is an American actor, screenwriter, and philanthropist whose career was launched following the success of the film Good Will Hunting , from a screenplay he co-wrote with friend Ben Affleck...
as François PienaarFrancois PienaarJacobus Francois Pienaar is a South African former rugby union player. He played flanker for South Africa from 1993 until 1996, winning 29 international caps, all of them as captain. He is best known for leading South Africa to victory in the 1995 Rugby World Cup...
, Springbok team captain - Adjoa AndohAdjoa AndohAdjoa Andoh is a British film, television, stage and radio actress of Ghanaian descent. Andoh is known on the UK stage for lead roles at the RSC, the National Theatre, the Royal Court Theatre and the Almeida Theatre, and is a familiar face on British television Adjoa Andoh (born 1962) is a British...
as Brenda Mazikubo, Mandela's Chief of Staff - Tony Kgoroge as Jason Tshabalala
- Julian Lewis JonesJulian Lewis JonesJulian Lewis Jones is a Welsh actor born in Anglesey, Wales in 1968. He has appeared largely in British television in shows such as Where the Heart Is and Caerdydd. In 2009, he starred in Clint Eastwood's drama film Invictus as the head of Nelson Mandela's bodyguard team.-References:...
as Etienne Feyder - Patrick Mofokeng as Linga Moonsamy
- Matt Stern as Hendrick Booyens
- Marguerite Wheatley as Nerine Winter
- Leleti KhumaloLeleti KhumaloLeleti Khumalo is a Zulu South African actress who played the leading role in the movie Sarafina! alongside Whoopi Goldberg and who starred in the films Hotel Rwanda and Yesterday.-Early life and Sarafina!:...
as Mary - McNiel HendriksMcNeil HendricksMcNeil Hendricks , also known as "Maccie", is a former South African rugby union player who played primarily as a wing. He starred in the movie Invictus, in which he played the role of Chester Williams.-Life and career:...
as Chester WilliamsChester WilliamsChester Mornay Williams is a former South African rugby union rugby player. He played as a winger for the Springboks from 1993 to 2000...
, the only black player on the Springboks - Scott EastwoodScott Eastwood-Life and career:Reeves was born in Carmel, California but grew up in Hawaii. He is the son of actor-director Clint Eastwood and flight attendant Jacelyn Reeves, elder brother of Kathryn Reeves -Life and career:Reeves was born in Carmel, California but grew up in Hawaii. He is the son of...
as Joel StranskyJoel StranskyJoel Theodore Stransky is a former South African rugby union rugby player, most notable for scoring all of South Africa's points, including the famous dramatic winning drop goal, against New Zealand in the 1995 Rugby World Cup final. He played as a fly-half.-Early life:Stransky was born in... - Zak FeaunatiIsaac Feau'natiIsaac "Zac" Feau'nati is a former rugby union player for Bath Rugby in the Guinness Premiership. Feau'nati's played as a number eight.-Career:...
as Jonah LomuJonah LomuJonah Tali Lomu, MNZM is a New Zealand rugby union player. He had sixty-three caps as an All Black after debuting in 1994. He is generally regarded as the first true global superstar of rugby union. He has had a huge impact on the game... - Grant L. RobertsGrant L. RobertsGrant Roberts is a former Mr. Canada bodybuilding champion, and is a personal trainer, nutritionist, lifestyle coach, actor, author and philanthropist. Roberts was born in Toronto, Canada, and is also a citizen of Ireland...
as Ruben KrugerRuben KrugerRuben Jacobus Kruger, born in Vrede , was a South African rugby union player. He played as a flanker.-Career:... - Rolf E. Fitschen as Naka DrotskeNaka DrotskeAllen Erasmus 'Naka' Drotské is a former South African rugby union player, who played for the South Africa national rugby union team between 1993 and 1999.He played as a hooker ....
- Vaughn Thompson as Rudolph StraeuliRudolph StraeuliRudolph August Wilkens Straeuli played rugby union in the positions of flanker and Number 8 for, and later coached, the Springboks rugby team. He also played for the Lions provincial team in the Currie Cup competition...
- Charl Engelbrecht as Garry PagelGarry PagelGarry Louis Pagel, born 17 September 1966 in King Williams Town , is a former South African rugby union player who played for the South Africa national rugby union team between 1995 and 1996.He played as a prop ....
- Graham Lindemann as Kobus WieseKobus WieseJakobus Johannes Wiese, better known as Kobus Wiese, born 16 May 1964 in Paarl , is a former South African rugby union player who played at lock for the South Africa national rugby union team between 1993 and 1996....
- Sean Cameron MichaelSean Michael (South African actor)Sean Cameron Michael is a South African actor, writer and singer. A native English speaker, he is also fluent in Afrikaans.-Early life:...
as Springbok Equipment Manager
Production
The film is based on the book Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Changed a Nation by John CarlinJohn Carlin
John Carlin is a journalist and author, dealing with both sports and politics. His book Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game that Made a Nation about former South African president Nelson Mandela is the basis for the 2009 film Invictus.-Personal life:Carlin was born to a Scottish father...
. The filmmakers met with Carlin for a week in his Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
home, discussing how to transform the book into a screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
. Morgan Freeman was the first actor to be cast, as Mandela. Matt Damon
Matt Damon
Matthew Paige "Matt" Damon is an American actor, screenwriter, and philanthropist whose career was launched following the success of the film Good Will Hunting , from a screenplay he co-wrote with friend Ben Affleck...
was then cast as team captain Pienaar, despite being significantly smaller than him and much smaller than members of the current Springbok squad.
He was given intensive coaching by Chester Williams
Chester Williams
Chester Mornay Williams is a former South African rugby union rugby player. He played as a winger for the Springboks from 1993 to 2000...
, another star of the 1995 team, at the Gardens Rugby League Club. Filming began in March 2009 in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
. "In terms of stature and stars, this certainly is one of the biggest films ever to be made in South Africa," said Laurence Mitchell, the head of the Cape Film Commission. On March 18, 2009, Scott Eastwood
Scott Eastwood
-Life and career:Reeves was born in Carmel, California but grew up in Hawaii. He is the son of actor-director Clint Eastwood and flight attendant Jacelyn Reeves, elder brother of Kathryn Reeves -Life and career:Reeves was born in Carmel, California but grew up in Hawaii. He is the son of...
was cast in an unspecified role, but it is understood to be flyhalf Joel Stransky
Joel Stransky
Joel Theodore Stransky is a former South African rugby union rugby player, most notable for scoring all of South Africa's points, including the famous dramatic winning drop goal, against New Zealand in the 1995 Rugby World Cup final. He played as a fly-half.-Early life:Stransky was born in...
(whose drop goal provided the Springboks' winning margin in the 1995 final).
Over Christmas 2008, auditions had taken place in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to try to find a well-known British actor to play Pienaar's father, but in March it was decided to cast a lesser-known South African actor instead.
The ex-Bath Rugby
Bath Rugby
Bath Rugby is an English professional rugby union club that is based in the city of Bath. They play in the Aviva Premiership league...
player Zak Feaunati
Isaac Feau'nati
Isaac "Zac" Feau'nati is a former rugby union player for Bath Rugby in the Guinness Premiership. Feau'nati's played as a number eight.-Career:...
was cast as New Zealand player Jonah Lomu
Jonah Lomu
Jonah Tali Lomu, MNZM is a New Zealand rugby union player. He had sixty-three caps as an All Black after debuting in 1994. He is generally regarded as the first true global superstar of rugby union. He has had a huge impact on the game...
. Primary filming in South Africa was completed in May 2009. Grant Roberts was cast as Ruben Kruger
Ruben Kruger
Ruben Jacobus Kruger, born in Vrede , was a South African rugby union player. He played as a flanker.-Career:...
, who was the Springboks' other starting flanker
Flanker
Flanker may refer to:*The NATO reporting name for the Sukhoi Su-27 and derivatives:**Flanker-A: Sukhoi T-10 **Flanker-B: Sukhoi Su-27**Flanker-C: Sukhoi Su-30 **Flanker-D: Sukhoi Su-33...
in 1995.
Critical
Invictus was met with generally positive reviews. Review aggregate Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
reports that 76% of critics (and 87% of the Top Critics) have given the film a positive review based on 218 reviews, with an average score of 6.6/10. The critical consensus is: Delivered with typically stately precision from director Clint Eastwood, Invictus may not be rousing enough for some viewers, but Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman inhabit their real-life characters with admirable conviction.
Critic David Ansen
David Ansen
David Ansen is a reviewer and senior editor for Newsweek, where he has been reviewing movies since 1977. He came to Newsweek after several years as the chief film critic at Boston's The Real Paper...
wrote:
Anthony Peckham's sturdy, functional screenplay, based on John Carlin's book Playing the Enemy, can be a bit on the nose (and the message songs Eastwood adds are overkill). Yet the lapses fade in the face of such a soul-stirring story - one that would be hard to believe if it were fiction. The wonder of Invictus is that it actually went down this way.
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
of the Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
gave the film three and a half stars and wrote:
It is a very good film. It has moments evoking great emotion, as when the black and white members of the presidential security detail (hard-line ANC activists and Afrikaner cops) agree with excruciating difficulty to serve together. And when Damon's character - François Pienaar, as the team captain - is shown the cell where Mandela was held for those long years on Robben Island. My wife, Chaz, and I were taken to the island early one morning by Ahmed Kathrada, one of Mandela's fellow prisoners, and yes, the movie shows his very cell, with the thin blankets on the floor. You regard that cell and you think, here a great man waited in faith for his rendezvous with history.
Shave Magazines Jake Tomlinson wrote:
Eastwood's film shows how sport can unify people, a straightforward and moving message that leaves audiences cheering. The sports, accurate portrayal and the solid storyline earn this movie a manliness rating of 3/5. However, the entertainment value, historical accuracy and strong message this movie delivers earn it an overall rating of 4.5 stars. Definitely, worth seeing.
Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
s Todd McCarthy wrote:
Inspirational on the face of it, Clint Eastwood's film has a predictable trajectory, but every scene brims with surprising details that accumulate into a rich fabric of history, cultural impressions and emotion.
Box office
The film opened at #3 with US$8,611,147 behind The Princess and the Frog and The Blind SideThe Blind Side (film)
The Blind Side is a 2009 American semi-biographical drama film. It is written and directed by John Lee Hancock, and based on the 2006 book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis. The storyline features Michael Oher, an offensive lineman who plays for the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL...
. Currently, its worldwide total stands at US$122,233,971, with US$37.4 million in North America.
People involved
Don Beck who had helped the rugby team to be successful in 1995 found the movie faithful to the true story: “I thought it was steady and balanced.”Accolades
Academy Awards- Best ActorAcademy Award for Best ActorPerformance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
– Morgan Freeman (nominated) - Best Supporting ActorAcademy Award for Best Supporting ActorPerformance by an Actor in a Supporting Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. Since its inception, however, the...
– Matt Damon (nominated)
Broadcast Film Critics' Association Awards (2010)
The film was nominated for four awards from the Broadcast Film Critics' Association in the following categories:
- Best Film
- Best Director – Clint Eastwood
- Best Actor – Morgan Freeman
- Best Supporting Actor – Matt Damon
Cesar Awards
- Cesar Award for Best Foreign FilmCésar Award for Best Foreign FilmThis is the list of winners and nominees of the César Award for Best Foreign Film .-1970s:-1980s:-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:...
ESPY Awards
- Best Sports Movie
Golden Globes (2010)
The film was nominated for three Golden Globe Awards in the following categories:
- Best Actor in a Leading Role – Motion Picture Drama – Morgan Freeman
- Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture – Matt Damon
- Best Director – Motion Picture – Clint Eastwood
NAACP Image Awards
- Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture – Morgan Freeman (Won)
National Board of Review (2009)
The film was nominated for two awards from the National Board of Review in the following categories:
- Freedom of Expression Award – (Won)
- NBR Award for Best Director – Clint Eastwood (Won)
- NBR Award for Best Actor – Morgan Freeman (Won: tied with George Clooney for Up In The AirUp in the Air (film)Up in the Air is a 2009 American comedy-drama film directed by Jason Reitman and co-written by Reitman and Sheldon Turner. It is a film adaptation of the 2001 novel of the same name, written by Walter Kirn. The story is about a corporate downsizer Ryan Bingham and his travels...
)
Screen Actors' Guild (2010)
The film was nominated for two awards from the Screen Actors' Guild in the following categories:
- Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role – Morgan Freeman
- Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role – Matt Damon
WAFCA Award (2009)
The film was nominated for two awards from the Washington DC Area Film Critics Association awards in the following categories:
- Best Actor – Morgan Freeman
- Best Director – Clint Eastwood
Soundtrack listing
- "9000 days" – Overtone with Yollande Nortjie
- "Invictus Theme" – Kyle EastwoodKyle EastwoodKyle Eastwood is an American jazz musician. He studied film at the University of Southern California for two years before embarking on a music career. After becoming a session player in the early '90s and leading his own quartet, he released his first solo album, From There to Here, in 1998...
and Michael Stevens - "Colorblind" – Overtone
- "Siyalinda" – Kyle Eastwood and Michael Stevens
- "World in Union 95World in Union (song)"World in Union", with lyrics by Charlie Skarbek, is a theme song for the Rugby World Cup that attempts to capture the spirit of international friendship which pervades rugby union culture the world over....
" – Overtone with Yollande Nortjie - "Madiba's theme" – Kyle Eastwood and Michael Stevens
- "Hamba Nathi" – Overtone with Yollande Nortjie
- "Thanda" – Kyle Eastwood and Michael Stevens
- "ShosholozaShosholozaShosholoza is a Ndebele folk song that originated in Zimbabwe but was popularized in South Africa. The song is a traditional South African Folk song was sung by Ndebele all-male migrant workers that were working in the South African mines in a call and response style...
" – OvertoneOvertone (musical group)Overtone is an acapella/vocal band that made its debut in 2006 and originates from Johannesburg, South Africa. Overtone is best known for their vocal renditions of pop music and diverse repertoire. In 2009 they were discovered by Dina Eastwood, wife of actor/director Clint Eastwood while in South...
with Yollande Nortjie - "Inkathi" – Kyle Eastwood and Michael Stevens
Home media release
The film was released on May 18, 2010 on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. Special features include:- Matt Damon Plays Rugby
- Invictus music trailer
- Vision, Courage and Honor: Clint Eastwood and the Power of a True Story (Blu-ray Disc only)
- Mandela Meets Morgan (Blu-ray Disc only)
- The Eastwood Factor documentary excerpts (Blu-ray Disc only)
- Digital Copy on Disc (Blu-ray Disc only)
- Picture in Picture exploration with cast, crew and the real people who lived this true story (Blu-ray Disc only)