From the studio that brought you THE ROOKIE and REMEMBER THE TITANS comes the movie everybody loves — MIRACLE. Filled with exhilarating nonstop hockey action and heart-racing suspense, it’s the inspiring true story behind one of the greatest moments in sports history — the 1980 United States ice hockey team’s triumphant Olympic victory against the Soviet Union. Kurt Russell gives a brilliant performance as the dynamic and determined coach Herb Brooks, who had an impossible dream — beat the seemingly unbeatable Soviets at their own game. Starting with a handpicked group of 26 undisciplined kids, Brooks coached them to play like they never played before, and turned 20 of them into a team that believed they could achieve the unachievable — and in the process, united a nation with a new feeling of hope.The miracle about Miracle is that it gets so many details right in telling its 24-year-old story about the historic victory of the U.S. hockey team at the 1980 Olympic Games. It’s typical for Hollywood to compromise such period details as hairstyles and fashion when catering to a contemporary audience, but Miracle looks and feels right in every detail, capturing the downbeat mood of post-Watergate America while showing how obsessively determined Minnesota hockey coach Herb Brooks (Kurt Russell) managed to assemble a once-in-a-lifetime team and whip them into a victorious frenzy over their Soviet champion opponents. With sharp support from Patricia Clarkson (as Brooks’s wife) and Noah Emmerich (as his long-suffering assistant), Russell grounds the film with a well-balanced combination of aloofness, intimidation, and closely guarded strategy. No doubt the real Brooks (who died in a car accident shortly after filming completed) would have approved. Thanks to director Gavin O’Connor (Tumbleweeds) and the producers of the similarly laudable sports films Remember the Titans and The Rookie, Miracle brings plenty of heart–and historical accuracy–to an old, familiar formula. –Jeff Shannon
January 5, 2006
#1
it’s a miracle I wasted my time on this garbage. Where was the plot about the soviets throwing the fake game? America seems to still be in the dark. Overacted and horribly shot in what looks like downtown san diego, this is one big dud. Save the cheers for a better movie, “They call me Bruce”.
January 5, 2006
#2
This movie ignores all the other teams that played in the olympics and focuses only on America. Which I suppose we should except from America. Second this film ingores all the corruption that even allowed the Americans to win the game. Stupid over glorified movie not worth watching. The Soviets are the true winners of that game not the Americans. This movie is full of lies. I find it funny how in American movies America always wins. Americans stop being sheep.
January 5, 2006
#3
bad,horribly acted, and unentertaining. No amount of words can save any credibility for such an awful film. Stick with a better film about a better underdog “they call me bruce”. Besides, we know the soviets should have won that game. Why else would they pull out the worlds number one goalie. It wasn’t to win. America needed a turn and Russia gave them one. In return, the cold war blew over. This movie does not focus on the real issues that mattered.
January 5, 2006
#4
Other countries win medals and championships, yet they don’t feel the need to exploit it and turn it into a piece of self-absorbed, self-centered, in-your-face ‘we won and you didn’t, nah-nah-nah-nah-nah’ crap. Watching this movie reminds me of exactly why America is the most backwards, hated, and despised country in the world – who have everything coming to them.
January 5, 2006
#5
The americans cheated in every way possible. How can anyone except this worthless made up plot. Most of us were watching soul train while this game went on and nobody cared. Kurt Russel’s performance was ok but I think Wesley Snipes could have done the part better. The Hockey scenes could have been shot better but unfortunately there was no good hip hop music to back it up. In summation, I would have to say if you want to chant USA USA make sure you don’t wake your neighbors.