Invictus

Invictus is a film based on the story of South Africa’s 1995 Rugby World Cup team. Morgan Freeman stars as Nelson Mandela who decides to use the Cup as a means to bring the country together in the aftermath of the abolishment of the apartheid system, which occurred in 1991. South African rugby captain Francois Pienaar, portrayed by Matt Damon, must lead the team to victory if Mandela’s “human calculation” is to fully succeed.

"Forgiveness liberates the soul, it removes fear."

While the delivery of its message is perhaps a little heavy-handed at times, Invictus does a wonderful job of examining racial reconciliation. After enduring years of white discrimination and hostility, Mandela doesn’t take the “an eye for an eye” or “tit for tat” approach that we too often see in the world. Instead, Mandela realizes that the only way South Africa can come together and function as a country is if the Afrikaners and Africans can learn to trust each other. This is far easier said than done. Whites live in fear of retribution from the blacks that they’ve abused for so long and Africans struggle to find forgiveness for their former oppressors. As a news anchor in the film puts it, Mandela has the job of "balancing Black aspirations with White fears."

Mandela decides the best way to bring the country together is to get it to rally behind its national rugby team, the Springboks. This is viewed as a very controversial move by many blacks as the Springboks, to them, represent the apartheid system they have only recently broken out of. Only white people care about rugby and root for the Springboks. Blacks are interested in soccer and always root against the Springboks. Because of this, it is decided at a national sports meeting that the Springboks should be replaced by a new team, representing the new South Africa. However, before this change is enacted, Mandela comes and convinces the blacks to keep the Springbok team intact and let them represent the country in the upcoming World Cup, hosted by South Africa. When questioned on this decision, Mandela responds, “If I cannot change when circumstances demand it, how can I expect others to?”

By the end of the film, the country does end up rallying behind this once controversial team and celebrates together the eventual World Cup Championship victory. As the film reaches its climax, viewers are shown how two conflicting groups of people can be brought together if forgiveness is shown and leaders on both sides are willing to work together in compromise. Invictus shows that even though there is hatred and evil in the world, it can be overcome by forgiveness, compromise, and love. As the poem "Invictus" states, “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” We don’t have to give in and follow what the empire’s message of revenge and supremacy. We can break out of the Empire’s mindset and act in the ways of the Kingdom by showing compassion, forgiveness, and love, even in the most difficult situations.

Discussion Questions:

- How often in today’s world do we see compromise between two very opposite groups? Why is this?
- While the Springboks did when the final game, do you think the country of South Africa still would have come together in the pain of defeat? What do we need symbols to rally behind for, and after we’ve rallied behind them, does it matter what becomes of them? Once a connection is established between very different people, how easily can this connection be broken?
- As Mandela asks in the film, “If I cannot change when circumstances demand it, how can I expect others to?” With this in mind, are their areas in your life where you need to change in order to peacefully work and exist with others?

Reviews: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/invictus/
Trailer: http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/invictus/