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Critics Consensus: Kurt Russell's performance guides this cliche-ridden tale into the realm of inspirational, nostalgic goodness.
Critic Consensus: Kurt Russell's performance guides this cliche-ridden tale into the realm of inspirational, nostalgic goodness.
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All Critics (160) | Top Critics (39) | Fresh (128) | Rotten (32) | DVD (17)
If you can tolerate all this phony uplift you'll also get a pretty interesting story about a shrewd Minnesota college coach named Herb Brooks.
[T]humbs up for this uplifting and inspirational movie about one of the great upsets in sports history.
Russell is terrific as coach Herb Brooks.
Big on slogans, but low on personality.
The movie effectively simulates the game's whirl, and should grab all but the most finicky hockey fans. But for moviegoers who think if you've seen one sports flick, you've seen 'em all -- well, you've definitely seen this one.
The movie brings the audience back to 1980 with bone-crunching verisimilitude.
Moving story of the 1980 Olympic hockey team.
A story about people rather than just one a team going for the win. In doing so, O'Connor makes Miracle one of the more thoughtful and enjoyable films revolving around sports.
Even if you don't know a "blue line from a clothes line," "Miracle" is a thoroughly enjoyable film that unspools like a Robert Altman movie where many characters' individual essences are revealed at once.
Miracle capitalizes on its understanding of team dynamics: the bonding of pain and gain alike, the ownership of integrity over ego, the satisfaction of communal accomplishment. [Blu-ray]
This isn't anyone's finest hour.
Russell is at his understated best in the film, which stands as a living tribute to Coach Herb Brooks.
Kurt Russell delivers an astounding performance to shroud the patriotic, nostalgic and cliched feel of Miracle. The film consists of the typical sport-drama vices, but thanks to the leading role, provides inspiration and drama. 4.5/5
Super Reviewer
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.
'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
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