Invincible
Release Date:
August 25, 2006
On the Big Board |
| Position |
Staff |
In Brief |
| 21/159 |
David Mumpower |
Fantastic story heroicizes not just Vince Papale but also Dick Vermeil. As a huge fan of Vermeil, I'm probably biased to like this one more than most. |
| 22/52 |
Les Winan |
Wahlberg is good, but the supporting cast is better. It's a terrific sports film that provides the requisite chills. |
| 23/47 |
Amanda Jones |
I wasn't bored but I wasn't either entertained. Very blah, but not excruciatingly so. |
| 37/68 |
Michael Bentley |
Pretty predictable and formulaic, but a good time nonetheless. |
| 59/200 |
Max Braden |
Wahlberg is good but his character lacks the ambition needed for a good underdog story. |
Following in the proud tradition of Disney sports movies such as Remember the Titans, The Rookie and Miracle, Invincible will once again mine the inspirational ground that athletic tales can bring. They're almost always successful, too, because they attract a cross generation of young men interested in sports as well as families looking for something uplifting they can view together.
Invincible is inspired by the true story of a gentleman named Vince Papale, who in the movie version will be portrayed by Mark Wahlberg. His unlikely 15 minutes (or more) came when Philadelphia Eagles coach Dick Vermeil decided to hold open tryouts for the professional football team. Despite no college football experience (his school didn't have a team), Papale had been playing as a wide receiver for the World Football League. At the age of 30, Papale was working as a bartender and substitute teacher when his former football general manager informed him about Vermeil's opportunity of a lifetime. Papale attended the tryout and beat the odds to be the oldest non-kicking rookie in the NFL, playing wide receiver and special teams for his hometown squad.
Along with Wahlberg, other stars of the film will be Greg Kinnear as Vermeil, Elizabeth Banks (Slither), Michael Rispoli (The Sopranos) and Kevin Conway (Oz). Ericson Core, who was cinematographer on films like Daredevil and The Fast and the Furious, directs from a screenplay by Brad Gann. (Kim Hollis/BOP)
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