Miracle, a fast-paced, hardly dramatic, no-need-for-Oscar-performances kind of movie, does what it is intended to do: entertain the audience with two hours of laughs and cheers, but not one single tear.
Inspired by a true story, Miracle unfolds the tale of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team. Coach Herb Brooks (Kurt Russell) took 20 college hockey players and turned them into the 1980 winter Olympic champions by defeating Finland, but not before ending the winning streak of a dominant hockey team from Russia. This occurred during a time when the United States needed a little patriotic pick me up.
The movie, and even the trailer itself, tries to emphasize the great importance that the win over the Soviets in 1980 had on the emotions of Americans during the Cold War. However, this factor is only important for 20 minutes, at most, during the film: the opening credits, middle of the movie and the very last voice-over. This is simply a movie about hockey. It doesn't try to tell a story.
When featuring hockey aspects, the movie is fast, sharp and detailed. Any hockey fan would enjoy it. Even those who aren't fans of the sport could be sitting at the edge of their seats wanting to jump out and cheer at the last 35-minute hockey action at the end of the movie, even if they did know how it was going to end. With a title like Miracle, the film is a dead giveaway.
Russell did his best to portray Brooks, the only character in the movie that really needs to have some depth. As for the 20 unknown actors who played the 1980 U.S. hockey team, they did well delivering roles that required few lines and little emotion, but a lot of hockey attitude.
As for any "based on a true story" film, this one adds drama on top of drama to provoke tears. It won't, but unlike most movies, the film doesn't try so hard to be sad that the negativity detracts from the plot of the film.
Miracle might not leave one "believing in miracles" or becoming a little more patriotic, but it sure makes for a great two hours of tough, gritting and heart-pounding thrills.
Reach the reporter at jessica.z.navarro@asu.edu.
