Alicia I love this movie so much

SnoReptilePlenty Memorable, crazy movie

Sharkflei Your blood may run cold, but you now find yourself pinioned to the story.

Abbigail Bush what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

Evan Wessman (CinematicInceptions) Like all sports movies, this is black and white and predictable all over. Let's face it, there's no suspense in who's going to win the climatic game, regardless of whether you look up who won the real game. It's the journey that matters. In this case, the game itself had a lot more significance due to the state of America at the time, and it was emphasized to a reasonable degree. I'm sure that a lot of people who remember the real game enjoyed reliving the event and some of their own experiences during that time.Most of the movie shows the pre-olympics training and Herb Brooks' challenge of coaching twenty college hockey players to beat the worlds greatest team, Russia. There is a lot of the standard inspirational coach speeches, training scenes, and team togetherness that you find in any sports movie that doesn't double as a comedy. There are no real subplots unless you count the couple scenes where Herb has to figure out how to balance his family and the Olympic team. Herb Brooks is pretty much the only character of notable significance. He delivers on his word to not be the players' friend and doesn't stand for any slackers. The other coaches are developed but aren't especially important. The same goes for most of the players, though Jim Craig, Jack O'Callahan, and Mike Eruzione are fairly prominent. They players all look pretty much the same, especially when they're in pads and helmets, which is unfortunate because it makes it hard to keep up with conversations involving the players.The presentation of the hockey games and practices is pretty well done in terms of camera-work and the sequences included. The only exception to this for me is in the climatic game against the Soviets where every goal is done in slow motion. There doesn't seem to be much point in adding drama to a goal if you don't do it to every shot on goal. Not to say that they should have shown all forty odd shots by the U.S. team, but the slow- mo was unnecessary.The acting was pretty good considering that the actors were all chosen for their hockey ability rather than their acting ability. So the list of recognizable names on the cast list will most likely end shortly after Kurt Russell.Honestly, I hope there isn't another Olympic rivalry movie like this, because it sort of ruins the unifying spirit that the Olympics are supposed to embody. I'm not trying to negate the positive impact the U.S. victory generated. Sports have similar effects on a smaller scale all the time. But it was also a cause for some racism that was already at a fever pitch. I suspect that anyone who has fond memories of the actual event would enjoy this movie, but for anyone else, it might seem as clichéd as all the other sports movies out there. Overall Rating: 7.2/10.

goreilly40 As a someone who was aware of the story and as a sports fan from outside the US, this movie was something I had to see, and I'm glad to say I wasn't disappointed. Kurt Russell's as Herb Brooks I would put up there with Morgan Freeman's performance as Nelson Mandela in Invictus, possibly Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch but that's for others to judge. He captured the essence of the man, his mannerisms his words, everything. The hockey scene's were in a word, perfect thanks to the use of actual hockey players whose audition process was probably more vigorous than the selection process for the real US team, (30 picked from 4000 as opposed to 26 picked from 90), the score adds to the tension and the atmosphere, particularly in the last period after Mike Eruzione puts the US in front in the climactic game against the Soviets. One scene which I found emotional was, surprise surprise, the Herbies after the 3-3 tie with Norway, it has been pointed out that two of the players who did the drill in the movie, Jim Craig and Buzz Schneider didn't do it in real life as Craig didn't play and Schneider was ejected from the game and Mike Eruzione didn't get the drills ended by stating that he played for the USA, however I feel the point is overstated as this is only a minor detail and Gavin O'Connor probably didn't want there to be any resentment between the cast and to show that the team had reached a turning point at that stage so these two indiscretions I can forgive. What I can't however was the way two of the Soviet goals were depicted, the first and third goals were shown being scored as a result of foul play in the build up, a deliberate unpunished slash on Buzz Schneider and Jim Craig being knocked unconscious from a cheap shot leaving the net empty when in reality the goals in question were clean, a simple stick check and a one on one counter attack during a Soviet power play, so why portray one of the greatest teams ever to grace the sport in this negative light? Another gripe I had with the movie was the skimming over the games against the Czechoslovakia and Finland which were also must win games, particularly Finland when the team were in danger of losing, as they were behind 2-1 going into the third period and throwing away what they had earned against the Soviets, Herb Brooks said to the team before the third period, "If you lose this game you'll take it to your (BLEEP) grave." I feel was a bit of a mistake not showing that, all be it a bit toned down language wise. However historical discretion's and omissions aside this movie is still compelling, the hockey is great, the cast is genuine, the music only adds to it, having Al Michaels and Ken Dryden reenact their commentary was inspired and as I said before Kurt Russell is phenomenal, even if your not an ice hockey fan I'd still recommend you watch it and I find it makes you believe in yourself that if you want something enough and your willing really work for it, then nothing is impossible or "Do you believe in miracles YES!!".

weber-ryan Perhaps Al Michaels said it best, while opening the broadcast for the Soviet and USA 1980 Olympic hockey game, "For people who don't know the difference between a blue line and a clothesline, its irrelevant." The movie Miracle is about much more than just a hockey team and its journey to the Olympic games. This is a true story of an inspirational team of twenty college kids who competed in the 1980 Olympics. The coach who brought these guys together and made them a family in such a short amount of time was Herb Brooks. He some how got the team to buy in and believe that they could stand a chance with the immortal Soviet Union at the time. This movie portrays much more than just an underdog sports story. It reveals the difficult times Americans were faced to go through and all the horrifying things that were happening with them during the cold war with Russia. Herb Brooks and his team gave Americans an opportunity to take their mind off the distractions and unite as one to watch the greatest sports moment in history. Miracle is a different underdog story in the fact that during the movie they don't focus on the other team much at all. Along with that is you don't know many of the guys on the USA team. The name of the characters and the small talk scene between the guys is just about all you get for depth of the characters. This movie is about the United States proving that Democracy is superior through a hockey game and understanding the man, Herb Brooks, who played a vital part in it. Herb Brooks, played by Kurt Russell, is the main focus in the film from a character standpoint. Kurt Russell does an amazing job portraying the type of man that Herb was. Kurt was able to provide such insight to Herbs life during the movie because Herb was actually on set to help him get into character. Herb was cut from the 1960 Olympic hockey team a week before the team won the gold medal and he was going to do anything in his power to insure they won it in 1980. He showed this through out the movie by not letting his emotions get in the way. The camera work in this movie is unreal. When you watch the movie it feels like you are out their on the ice with the players. The action scenes flow really well together and are easy to follow what is going on even if you have no background in hockey. The amount of work it must of taken to get each scene perfect is insane. An interesting aspect about Miracle is that when people watch the movie it gives them an indescribable feeling. It is a story that most Americans of 35 years or older are able to recall when and where they were during the time the event happened. I was talking with my teacher one day and asked him about the movie. He said he remembers the exact place he was at and what he was doing when the game was played. Watching the movie brought him back to that moment and it gives him chills every time he watches it. It gives me chills and I didn't even live through it, but it feels like you are when watching the movie. Disney pictures went above and beyond to recreate the greatest moment in sports history and it will leave you grinning from ear to ear.

Theflyace The greatest moment in recent Olympics history was the so-called "Miracle on Ice," when the amateur Hockey team from the U.S. defeated the long time Soviet champions at Lake Placid. The journey was a long and arduous one, with the players being driven to top condition both mentally and physically by coach Herb Brooks. In 2004, Walt Disney Pictures produced a recreation of the events leading up to and including the legendary event, with disgustingly underrated actor Kurt Russell as Coach Brooks. The result is not only a really inspirational but down-to-earth adaptation, but Russell in his career-defining role.The year is 1980. America is at a low point in terms of spirit and morale. Iran has taken hostages, Gas is running low, and the Soviets seem to be dominating the Middle-East with no one to stop them. To the U.S. Olympic committee, they have no chance to beat the longstanding champions of the USSR, so they decide to give college students the chance to play under Coach Herb Brooks. Brooks is a hard man determined to knock the Soviets off their pedestal, but not for reasons you would think. There is some bad luck to begin with but the team eventually makes it to Lake Placid and begin their legendary game against the Soviets.What makes Miracle so impressive is the fact that it focuses more on Herb Brooks than it does the team members. Brooks has unfinished business with the Soviets, as he was cut from the 1960 team the week before the games, the only team to beat the Soviets up to that point. He is a rather blunt and mean man who pushes the team to their limits. he makes absolutely no bond with anybody, as he sees this as the way to intimidate his team into performing at their highest levels. But with all this, there is a likability to Brooks that make him all the more three-dimensional, not just a cartoon over-the-top coach.The key to what I just said and the pure ingredient to what makes the film work is Kurt Russell. Here, he paints the portrait of a hurt and driven man who not only wishes to fulfill some need for vindication, but to give people the joy that was taken from him at the eleventh hour. He also looks the part, with the hair, jowl, and even those silly outfits that were considered to be cool back in the day. This is a great performance, one that I really believe was robbed of an Oscar. Not just a nomination, but a full Oscar win. Russell is Herb Brooks, hands down.The recreation of the events are also really good. The Soviets aren't portrayed as the bad guys, but the team that they just have to beat for Brooks. They aren't stereotypical Russian bad guys, but people we don't know apart from what we saw on the television screen in 1980. Its strange how one can often forget that this movie was produced by Disney. One would think the movie is schmaltzy and sugar-coated, but this is one of those exceptions. I think the only thing Disney couldn't allow was strong language that may be prevalent in hockey, but we can forgive them for that one.There has been an argument that there are too many sports movie clichés to be found in this movie. Well, I don't see any of them, except for one. Patricia Clarkson plays the stereotypical housewife who does nothing but complain. I don't watch the scenes with her or I try to mute whatever she says when she talks with Kurt Russell. Other than that, there is nothing to gripe about. I think the reason that critics see them as clichés is because the elements that seem familiar, are actually based on real events and dialog. I never saw this as anything more than history being put onto film with a Hollywood crew and actors. It seems to be and actually is very faithful.This is a good film. There are some slow spots, and maybe some flaws, but none that were easy to notice or try to notice. Kurt Russell is exceptional, and makes this a must see sports film.