Invictus is the Latin for word forunconquerable, undefeated,invincible. In Clint Eastwood's latest

film he usesrugby as a metaphor forthe struggle of South Africa's firstblack president, Nelson Mandela(Morgan Freeman), to unite hisracially divided country. A sociologyprofessor I had once gave afascinating lecture on obsessivesportsfans. He said that people love sportsbecausethey can vicariously get toseea conflict resolved. In real-liteconflicts tend to resistresolution.

MORGAN FREEMAN and Matt Damon re-create a much-hailed momentbetween Nelson Mandela and South Africa rugby captain Francois Pienaar.

Eastwood proveshe is still invincible

From director Clint Eastwood,'Invictus' tells the inspiring true story ofhow Nelson Mandela joined forces with

the captain of South Africa's rugby teamQ...Q

N • By JONATHAN AMERIKANER Eastwood seemsto innatelyunderstand this.

A Nelson Mandela film starring.Morgan Freeman has been a non-:starter for many years: It tookHollywood heavyweight Eastwood tomake it happen, It is noteworthy thatthe film was releasedin PresidentBarackObarna's first year. The firstblack American president also faces adeeply divided nation and constantverbal assaults.Invictus does not drawthese connections explicitly. The bestfilms never need to.

In a time when 3-D special effectsfilms dominate the box office, it's niceto know films like Invictus are stillmade. Instead of flashy technique,Eastwood employs solid storytellingand intelligent dialogue to carry itsmessage. Morgan Freeman delivers

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INVICTUS(US)Drama (733 min.)

Rated PG-73 for briefstrong language.

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profound, thought-provokingstatements. The actor becomes thestatesman so completely that bythe end of the film I was sure I wasseeing the real Mandela.

Invictus is set in 1995 SouthAfrica. Mandela has taken officeafter being released from morethan 27 years in prison. He has theenormous task of repairing the -harm done to South Africa afterdecades of apartheid, whitesupremacist rule. When SouthAfrica is selected to host the RugbyWorld Cup, Mandela senses anopportunity. The South Africanrugby team, called the Sprinqboks,is beloved by the white Afrikanersand generally hated by the blacks.The blacks who elected Mandelaexpect him to abolish theSpringboks and start a new team.But Mandela refuses. He believesthat a Springbok win will prove tothe world, and most importantly toSouth Africa's white population,that his country is capable offorgiveness and greatness. Toachieve this lofty (and unlikely)goal, Mandela enlists the aid of theSpringbok's Captain, FrancoisPienarr (Matt Damon). Pienarr is aman of few words - a foil toMandela, the great orator. Butevery line Damon delivers is donewith purpose and propels the storyforward. Damon does a brilliant 'job of showing his characterchange, eventually coming torespect and revere Mandela.

Eastwood's previous films areoften about revenge. From his Manwith No Name westerns, Dirty Harryfilms through Unforgiven and GranTorino, retaliation is a central theme.But Invictus is centered on Mandela'spassion to unite his country throughforgiveness, the "anti-revenge." Thatdoesn't mean that vengeance anddanger aren't Il!rking. Mandela'sbodyguards provide much suspenseand heartfelt humor. Blackand whitebodyguards must now work together.This is a problem at first, and I like theway Eastwood usestheir evolvingrelationships asa microcosm for thecountry as a whole.

My only problem is that the fibnbegins as a fascinating biography, butmorphs into an underdog-must .-sports film. As the team battles -victory in the last third ofwanted was more Mandeia. ~ - -Mandela can forgive thclSE'"~Otortured him for II _ 3';

forgive this smallsuperb film.