Simon Dillon reviews the film

Clint Eastwood's career this last decade has been truly remarkable - an embarrassment of riches that includes films as diverse as Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, Letters from Iwo Jima, Changeling and Gran Torino.

For his latest directorial effort, he has chosen to depict the days following Nelson Mandela's release from prison leading up to the 1995 Rugby World Cup final. Ostensibly a film about post apartheid South Africa disguised as a sporting drama, this traverses the knife edge between worthy but dull and entertaining. It manages, thanks to Eastwood's skill, to stay on the right side of this divide. Invictus is an assured, mature and thought provoking piece of work.

Central to the film is rugby captain Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon) and his friendship with Mandela (Morgan Freeman). Mandela sees the upcoming tournament as a chance to build bridges between black and white communities and to show the world the face of the new South Africa. At first, Mandela's plan is considered trivial and unpopular with his supporters, but they are slowly won over as the wisdom of his determination to forgive and draw a line under the past gradually becomes evident.

A group of black and white secret service agents forced under Presidential instruction to work together for the first time symbolise this process as a kind of South Africa in miniature. At first there is distrust and often open hostility, which slowly gives way to grudging mutual respect and eventually bonding over the tournament itself. As he observes the agents playing rugby together outside his window, Mandela comments to his loyal assistant Brenda (Adjoa Andoh) "Still think I'm wasting my time with rugby?"

Performances are terrific, not only from Morgan Freeman in a role he was born to play, but also from the Oscar nominated Matt Damon who manages to maintain a credible accent throughout the entire film. Eastwood's lean, stripped down direction tells the story with ease and economy, never drawing attention to itself, yet also proving - for the umpteenth time - that he is a master of cinema. Anthony Peckham's screenplay (adapting John Carlin's book) is understated but filled with drama and a surprising amount of humour.

Morally and spiritually, this is first rate stuff. As someone who is wary of "inspirational sports dramas", I have to grit my teeth and admit that this one really does have something truly inspirational to say. Regardless of Mandela's failings and shortcomings (mostly glossed over here, especially his relationship with Winnie), his refusal to give in to bitterness and revenge despite twenty seven years in prison is nothing less than miraculous. The unashamedly warm-hearted message about forgiveness and reconciliation is undeniably powerful and, more importantly, true.