A truely insirational film based on the success off not only the greatest peace protester the world has ever seen, but the success of a Rugby team, and most importantly the success of the Rainbow nation.
The film is a epic tale of country divided in two by the partide in South Africa, and how one man and a Rugby team, came to change the whole future of an entire nation.
Morgan Freeman who plays Nelson Mandela plays the role with extreme conviction and was the perfect man for the job. Mandela changed the nation with the help of the abismal Springboks captain Francois Pienaar, who is played by Matt Damon. Mandela get's Pienaar to change the views of the predominantly white Springboks side. At first he does not succeed, but when Mandela arranges to invite Pienaar for tea, the views of the whole side change. Mandela decides that the side should teach the black, soccer loving, less privelidged kids how to play Rugby, but when they arrive they find out how bad the countrys partide problems had become. The kids surrounded the only black player, Chester and treated him as if he was the only player there. The team took no notice and after a while, the children treated the team as equals.
Whilst this was all occuring Mandela saw everything unfold on the TV and realised that his Rainbow Nation was all coming into place, at the perfect time, just before the World Cup.
The Sprinboks do far better than expected and find themselves into the final with Jonah Lomu's, All Blacks, who where the favourites to win it.
With Mandela in the crown the game went to extra time were there was a spectacular climax with South Africa, with the help on the 60,000 people in the stadium, went on to win, which was far beyond expectation with a spectacular drop goal in extra time.
Mandela's work was summed up in Francois Pienaar's interview at the end of the match when a reporter tells him that he couldn't have done it without the support of 63,000 South Africans. Pienaar completes Mandela's mission by saying 'we didn't do it with the support of 63,000 South Africans. We done it with the help of 43,000,000 South Africans.
The film finishes with spectacular scenes of Mandela handing the world cup trophy to Pienaar and the one shot of a white hand and a black hand, together lifting the trophy sums the film up.
It's about how Nelson Mandela created the Rainbow Nation.
Clint Eastwood has directed and produced an inspiring masterpiece for the whole family to enjoy, which shows why he's one of the greatest producers alive.
