Invictus

[elski]

I was disappointed. I like rugby and I normally like Clint Eastwood films but this was really dry and may as well have been playing out on channel 5 this afternoon. The sound was weird, there was some bad dubbing in the early scenes that I found so distracting I didn't actually p*y attention to what was being said, was just looking at the lips! It was also odd when there was no music for the national athems and the sound kept sipping and also at the end when people were cheering it was very inconsistent and some music may have help cover it.
You don't need to know anything about rugby to see this film as they don't really show much, they keep cutting away to audience etc. I usually get really involved in these underdog sports films but by the end of this I just didn't care who won.
The story behind it all was good, I'd have been interested to hear Chester's story though, but the film itself not the quality I was expecting.
5/10

[blip]

I agree 100% with Midian. I got back a while ago and that feelgood feeling isn't going anywhere just yet! I laughed and I cried and I felt incredibly inspired by the whole film, I loved it. The film got a round of applause at the end, only known that to happen twice previously (Mamma Mia and Avatar) which for once I wholeheartedly joined in with.

And for the non rugby fans (me included) don't be put off, it was integral to the film but it didn't take over and it wont spoil your enjoyment.

Brilliant, stunning film.

Off to print out a copy of the poem 'Invictus' now.........

[splodgy]

I'm not into rugby at all, but I really enjoyed this film. Great acting and a wonderful story. I really wanted them to win the game! I wasn't expecting to enjoy the film much, as I thought it would be more for the men, however I would watch it again!

The only annoying thing was that the cinema showed the film at 11 rather than 10.30 that it said on the ticket. Also the room was freezing despite being full!

[Beate]

Excellent. Now, I am not really a sports fan and still don't understand how rugby works apart from that they squabble over a ball a lot. But sport means a lot to a lot of people (in evidence by those people who didn't go to see this today as they had to watch tennis instead!), and it can unite or divide them. I started blubbering half-way through when the team played with the little black kids and didn't really stop till the end. Gosh, how tiny was Mandela's cell at Robben Island! Now, one world cup isn't going to unify a nation. But what a clever man Mandela was. What a dignified one too. People sat routed to the spot when the credits rolled.

8/10

[blip]

Excellent. Now, I am not really a sports fan and still don't understand how rugby works apart from that they squabble over a ball a lot. But sport means a lot to a lot of people (in evidence by those people who didn't go to see this today as they had to watch tennis instead!), and it can unite or divide them. I started blubbering half-way through when the team played with the little black kids and didn't really stop till the end. Gosh, how tiny was Mandela's cell at Robben Island! Now, one world cup isn't going to unify a nation. But what a clever man Mandela was. What a dignified one too. People sat routed to the spot when the credits rolled.

8/10

Beate, I'm glad I wasn't the only one blubbing. That's about when I started too. Incredibly emotive film.

[bevvy]

I too found the film quite moving and inspiring but the (what felt like endless) scenes of rugby towards the end spoilt it for me.
If it were a work of fiction then at least it would have been a way of building up tension. But for a game that a lot of people already know the result of - way too long!
I agree with elski that it would have been nice to have known more of Chester's story . He was frequently spoken about but we really found out nothing about him apart from the fact that he was the only black guy in the South African rugby team.

I would give this 8/10 (despite the rugby!)

[5ive5]

watched this at odeon lee valley... we really like the movie.. it was touching and heart warming...
anyway, the movie audio was out of syn with the visual at the very beginning but gets better at the later part of the movie after someone alerted the usher ( so, i guess the audio syn problem also occur in other cinema?)

will rate this movie for 9.0

[mdweaver]

Saw this at Greenwich Odeon, about 60-70% full, and very cold in the cinema. Really enjoyed the film despite not being a rugby fan at all, and agree completely with Bevvy's review above. Morgan Freeman was very convincing. They could have cut down on the number of rugby scenes from the end though and shortened the film by about 10 minutes I reckon.

8.5/10

[sarahjc78]

Im so in the bad books, had a blonde moment and was convinced the film started at 11:30am.. got to the Metro Centre and it had just started... guess I will have to b*y tickets for this when it is released... my boyfriend was gutted and i ended up having to take him to Nandos... :O(

[Moomoo111]

Wow another really good film. Morgan Freeman was outstanding. I also found it so emotional. Came out of the screening with eyes like a panda. Off to b*y some waterproof mascara. 9/10