Miracle Reviews

The movie that tells the story of the greatest moment in sports history. That moment would be the Miracle on Ice. The reason it's a miracle can't be fully explained unless you were alive in 1980 or you see this movie. (Or just look it up on Wikipedia.) Kurt Russell stars the interpretation of how everything with the 1980 US Olympics hockey team played out. Russell easily the performance of his career in Miracle. He plays Herb Brooks, the head coach of the hockey team and he fits the role perfectly. He could've easily been nominated for an Oscar for his performance but you know, a biased Academy since the beginning of the 21st century. I also have to give props for Gavin O'Connor for his style of directing. During the on ice hockey scenes the cameras are on the ice, right up in the actors faces and you get to feel the intensity of the game. O'Connor also does a great job of making you feel for the characters. When Herb Brooks is angry at the players, you can feel just how pissed he is. When the players feel dejected about a loss or injury, you feel dejected. When they want to jump Herb Brooks and rip his head off...well, you don't feel that because you're always on Brooks's side in this movie. I was also pleasantly surprised at the actors playing the hockey players. Not only were they really good actors, they looked just like the actual players. The director could've easily picked a bunch of bad acting, active NHL players but he chose the more appropriate route. Another thing I liked is they chose to have Al Michaels do the commentary for the games. He was the original commentator for the real games played in the 80's. Every US game he commentates except for the last twenty seconds of the final game. (If you've seen actual footage of the last twenty seconds of the game, you'll understand why. The emotion conveyed is a once in a lifetime kind of thing.) This film has everything a sports movie needs. It's inspiring, emotional, well acted, well directed and shows why people were inspired by the actual event.

"Do you believe in miracles?"

Miracle tells the true story of Herb Brooks (Russell), the player-turned-coach who led the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team to victory over the seemingly invincible Russian squad.

REVIEW
With a professional and intense performance by Kurt Russell as Herb Brooks, Miracle, the story of the U.S. Olympic hockey team's miraculous win over the vaunted Soviets at the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New York, is by far one of the best true-life sports movies ever made. Russell definitively captures the intensity of Brooks, who in real life just missed the cut on the 1960 Olympic hockey team at Squaw Valley (where the Soviets last lost) and has now been given the task of fielding what the U.S. Olympic Committee wants--the best team of hockey players. But Russell is after something more--like the right team of hockey players, the right combination that will ensure not only competitiveness but also give a winning edge to the squad once the Olympics start. Though he resorts to cajoling, temper outbursts that would nearly rival anything Bobby Knight ever did, and extremely strenuous skating exercises, the team gradually grows to respect him and, in one of the great moments in sports history, Brooks' team defeats the vaunted Soviets 4-3 in the Olympic semifinals, setting themselves up for the subsequent gold medal win against Finland.

Aside from Patricia Clarkson (as Brooks' wife) and Noah Emmerich (as Brooks' assistant coach), the main cast of Miracle consists of real-life hockey players, not actors. This adds a great measure of realism to the proceedings, as do the television news flashbacks to a turbulent post-Vietnam America and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan only two months before Lake Placid. The real-life Herb Brooks, sadly, didn't get to see this film; he passed away shortly after principal photography was completed, and Miracle is thus dedicated to him. He would no doubt have been as proud of what this film accomplished on the big screen as what he and his Olympic squad did on the ice all those years ago.

OK+

'Miracle' is no new foray into the genre of sports films, but it is genuinely entertaining, and Russell gives an acceptable performance. The movie borders on cliche material, but it happens to skate by, barely. If you're a sports fan, you'll respect the effort. The nostalgia is fierce, yet the tone feels current. If you don't expect much from your average sports flick, then you're in for a treat. A treat that consists of one of the biggest upsets in sports history

Thought we know the outcome of the Miracle On Ice game, this is still a powerful sports film with fairly tense action packed hockey scenes. Miracle is a superb sports drama that is set during the 1980 Winter Olympic games when Team USA beat the invincible Russian team for the first time in over a decade. Miracle is a superb film though predictable, it is very well done. Kurt Russell gives a powerful performance as Team USA coach Herb Brooks. Miracle is a good sports film that delivers. The film recreates the atmosphere of the 1980 Winter Games very well, and the need for a miracle to win against Russia. Though predictable this film is a solid sports film with a good cast. Miracle is a terrific recreation the famous game that won the US its Gold medal against the Russians. Miracle does follow the traditional sports film formula, and does make it cliche, but I thought the film was done so well and was entertaining enough to not hold it against the film. The cast do a great job here and the filmmakers craft an interesting and good film despite all the cliches. What really does separate this film is that it focuses on an extremely important event in sports history. Miracle is a well acted film with the right amount of drama and sports action. This film is a must for hockey fans and those who enjoy a good sports film. Miracle delivers on screen.

Fantastic story of motivation and pride! Miracle shows the audience what it is like to try as hard and as long as you can until you succeed! Brilliant!

This David-and-Goliath-on-ice story is an inspirational, rough and tumble, profanity-free testament to ingenuity that touches on the conflicts between work ethics and domestic responsibility.

The story of the USAmerican success in the 1980 Olympic ice hockey tournament, told with nice details and accurately copied images of the time. The movie makes a point in explaining why the team's success had such importance to the nation at that time. It rarely takes the patriotism too far concentrates on the sports aspects. The last 20 minutes are covering the classic match against the undefeated Russians and is as exciting as a thriller, even though everyone knows what happened. One of the most likable and entertaining sports movies.

okay. for a sports movie. which are all the same

Sport movie.

In Memory of Herbie Brooks who died in a car accident just before this movie was released

Miracle tells the story of one of the greatest moments in Olympic history. The film follows the U.S. Olympic hockey team as they train for the 1980 Winter Olympic Games, and go up against the Soviet team; which dominated the sport and were considered the best hockey team in the world. Kurt Russell stars as Herb Brooks, the coach the U.S. team, and gives a brilliant performance. For the most part the film follows the typical Cinderella sports story formula, but it's especially good at bringing out the intensity and passion that the players have for the game. Additionally, the film does an excellent job at providing the context in which this Olympic game happened and why it meant so much to so many. Based on a remarkable true story, Miracle delivers a compelling and riveting film that will inspire you to believe.

The acting of almost everyone besides Kurt Russell is kinda underwhelming through most of the film. However, the film does convince you that success against overwhelming odds is indeed possible. Unfortunately, it succeeds more as that than as an actual movie.

Wanted to like this more than I did. The movie is needlessly cheesy and overdoes it with the "USA-USA-USA" nostalgia. Sure, it was a great historical moment in sports, but when every scene ends on a forced patriotic note, the film becomes repetitive. Still, despite its shortcomings, I'll give it a mild recommendation for a strong performance by Kurt Russell in the lead and it's well-photographed action sequences of the hockey games themselves.

A great film about the miracle on ice. Sports movie are rarely as good as this.

Inspirational!

It's an okay sports story. It is very inspirational.

Good movie. Very exciting! I felt like I was watching a real game. I wish I had been around to see the real deal.

Kurt Russel shines.