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When I saw this movie at the theater a couple years ago, I was so touched and inspired at how much work and tenacity and discipline, goes into the making of a champion. Discipline of the emotions as well as physical practice. I knew that I would be purchasing this movie when it came available, because it is a good reminder that the best things dont come easy, and I knew it would serve me through my life. It also inspires by showing that Herb Brooks, the coach, was a true champion himself, and had his own phenomenal, and well thought-out way of doing things, without being a hand-holder and explainer like a teacher for kindergarteners. He expected the best out of the boys and made them rise to meet their owwn greeatness. He had his own way of being in this world, including in his marriage, which also didnt look like any Harlequin Romance, but rather one of mutual respect and non-verbal connected-ness & tenderness, & one that truly works in a non conventional way. I just loved this movie--it was profound on many levels, and a true gem among a sea of movies out there with no redeeming value to humankind.Read full review
This historical dramatization of the Miracle on Ice, the unlikely defeat of the world's reigning hockey champions, is a tribute to Herb Brooks and the phenomenal team of young players he gathered in 1979. It is both accurate and exciting, showing the struggles of keeping a marriage relationship alive, a family together and building a family of 26 men into a swift, enduring and emotionally tight knit team. I lived through this era and watched these games on television and can relive the excitement of that time. In those days of rampant inflation, gas rationing, Iranian Embassy hostage takeover, Soviet Nuke testing, and continued Cold War struggling, the US needed some pride which this Olympic Team gave wholeheartedly. The hockey stars that filled this game were not going to be Stanley Cup Champions, but they became the glory of the United States by defeating Canada, Norway, Czechoslovakia, Russia and Sweden, enduring to the Gold Medal in the 1980 Winter Olympics. Disney put together a fine family film this time and finally brings us back to the “old days” when you could count on exciting cinematography and Kurt Russell to hold it together. Gone are the flash drama and meaningless violence. I love the truth and thrill of this film.Read full review
This film is fun for the entire family, appropriate for kids of all ages. Kurt Russell was very well cast in his part as coach Herb Brooks. I own tapes of all of the original TV coverage of the 1980 US hockey games and this movies has done a superb job of capturing the spirit while staying true to the facts of the games. The dialogue in the last 20 minutes of the movie is understated and telling. Kurt Russell standing there in the box in the final moments of the US-USSR match telling asst coach Craig that the Russian coach "does not know what to do", in reference to his inability to pull his goalie in a last-ditch effort to tie the US team. That tiny bit of dialogue sums it up for a hockey enthusiast.
I love this movie. It was inspirational and yes, I believe I cried. Positives: 1)None of the hockey players were big name actors. That really made the movie more realistic. 2)Great hockey plays and camera shots will make a hockey fan out of any person. 3)Movies with old props and themes are great to watch, especially when they do it right. 4)I wasn't even born yet in 1980, so watching this movie was like living that moment for the first time for me. 5)The original announcer from the 1980 game also announced for the movie. Cool. Negatives: 1)The acting wasn't fabulous, obviously since they weren't all big name stars. 2)Sometimes it was easy to loose interest in the story. Younger kids probably won't enjoy this movie that much. 3)Some language(a negative for the familys with kids) Conclusion: Great movie, incredible moment in sports history. It isn't as good as Remember the Titans, but it's still great.Read full review
Feeling old? I was six years old when the "Miracle on Ice" took place, so my personal recollection of the even is nil. Truth be told, there wasn't a whole lot of interest in hockey, the Olympics, or the cold war going on in my life - but Star Wars and He-Man were big players (or at least I think He-Man was. He may have come later. If so, insert The Smurfs or something). Yet even though I couldn't have cared less, the rest of the nation was transfixed, watching their televisions on February 22, 1980 to see one of the biggest upsets in sports history. And for many, it represented something more than just a Hockey game - it was a realization that we as a country were not dead yet. You see, America, at the time, was in a grim state. The Cold War was in full swing. The US Embassy hostage crisis was the most public hostage situation the world had ever seen. Gas shortages resulted in long lines. The economy was so bad that a "misery index" was tabulated to see how bad the country felt at the time. Then came the Miracle on Ice and American saw that the Soviets were not unbeatable and we were able to have pride in our country again. "Miracle" is a pretty clear-cut re-telling of how that special team was assembled and how they beat an unbeatable team in the Soviet hockey team. They weren't better. They weren't even close. But heart and determination on the side of west coupled with arrogance on the side of the east helped bring about this unprecedented upset that helped lead the United States Hockey Team to the gold in Lake Placid. The movie is told from the perspective of Herb Brooks (Kurt Russell), who dreams of gaining the gold medal he wasn't able to get years ago when he was cut from the Olympic team. And to do it, he will work his players harder than they have ever been worked and make them hate him so much that they learn to love each other. Brooks makes it known early that he is their coach, not their friend. Sure, this is a Disney movie that is filled with sports cliques and rah-rah moments - but with this story, you can't get around that. It was a rah-rah time. The thing that really impresses you about this film is the amazing hockey sequences. With far too many sports movies, you have actors that throw and hit like actors playing Major League Baseball players. In this film, the hockey looks like hockey and it's amazing. Especially the 20 minute game with the Russians in the climatic moments, complete with Al Michaels commentary and famous "Do you believe in miracles?" call. Another plus is how the film doesn't try to make the game more than it really was to these people. While the rest of the country were busy putting a huge amount of political and historical significance to the game, the players were just wanting to win. They just wanted a medal. And it's refreshing to see that done correctly in the film. The cons of the movie are minimal, however, I would have liked to have seen less emphasis on Brooks and more on the players. That said, Russell, who is known for playing over-the-top roles, does a great job with his character. After initially laughing at him with such a goofy haircut, I forgot it was him for the rest of the movie. That's quality acting. The DVD features commentary from director Gavin O'Connor, a "making of" featurette, a first impressions vignette of Herb Brooks (who died before the film was made) and Kurt Russell, some outtakes, an ESPN roundtable with members of the 1980 team, a featurette on how the actors learned hockey, and a behind the scenes feature on the sound and music of the movie. Not a bad deal at all if you're thinking about owning it. One last question though: in Russia, is this movie called "Tragedy"?Read full review
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