Miracle
The Plot:
This is the true story of coach Herb Brooks (Russell), who in 1980 had the distinction of having been the last player cut from the U.S. hockey team the last time the team won the Gold at the Olympics (in 1960). Brooks got his chance at being part of a medal-winning team, however, when he led the U.S. hockey team to victory over the Soviets (who had won the medal the last four times: 1976, 1972, 1968, and 1964 since that 1960 U.S. win) at the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid despite overwhelming odds. For a country still entangled in a decades-long "Cold War" with the U.S.S.R., the sports victory was seen as patriotic and symbolic of "our side" beating "their side." (From Yahoo Movies)
My Thoughts: (Reviewed by Azrael)
Miracle is the true inspiring story of the 1980 USA Olympic Ice Hockey Team. They are up against impossible odds against the seasoned veterans of the USSR Hockey Team who have won gold 15 years straight and the USA has not beaten in any hockey game since 1960. To top that off, the USSR staged an exhibition match against the NHL all-star team, 1 week before the Olympic opening ceremonies, and dominated them 6-0.
Of course the political undertones are present in this movie. The Cold-War continuing and American’s faith in Democracy fading, this victory was key to rekindling the patriotic spirits in Americans, symbolizing our future defeat of communism.
Herb Brooks is a hard ass, but with good intentions to push his team to win. In one of the more intense scenes in the movie, after they tie in an exhibition match, Herb runs them what seems like a hundred times, even when the team doctor orders him otherwise, and even after the ice arena has turned off its lights and locked up. With the coaching job, Herb is becoming estranged from his family, and it is directly portrayed in his wife’s emotions and him coming home late after his family has decorated the Christmas tree. While this is a more human aspect of the movie, in my opinion it only slows down the movie, adding unneeded minutes to the already slow starting movie.
While the main plot of the movie follows the hockey team, it is naive to say that the true star is the coach, but that’s not to say that the movie focuses extensive time on the individual players. You will feel emotion when Brooks benches a player; tells another he is injured but is still able to play; tells another player who is in excruciating pain that he is forcing him to play, just to fire up the team; and when the coach finally cuts that unfortunate 21st player, only 20 are allowed to travel. But Hockey is a team sport, and this is a team movie, from the very first scene, Herb says that the USA has never played like a team when it comes to Olympic hockey, which the Soviets do with precision. And every blow to one individual is a blow to the team.
What I really enjoy about this movie, is that it is a true story, but it brings something to the table that other similar movies do not use actual footage from the Olympics. When the coach is showing the USA team footage of the Soviets practicing with machine like precision, the tape is real, and it shows how the odds were truly stacked up against them. While no actual game footage is shown, the commentary spicing the game every now in then is true, especially the ESPN pre-game commentary, and the final comments when the final seconds tick away.
Some people may see this movie as flag waving nostalgia which offers nothing more than a patriotic thriller must have seen the wrong movie. Every scene is enthralling, every hockey game is intense, the cinematography augments the action, and every aspect of this movie is wonderful.
Starring: Kurt Russell,
Eddie Cahill, Patricia Clarkson, Noah Emmerich, Patrick O'Brien Demsey
Directed by: Gavin O'Connor
Rated PG