Disney did a pretty good job with this one. Some dramatic liberties were taken, but the film properly honors the memory of Brooks and team. Has Disney made any other historical dramas?
Carefully shot, with great sets and costumes, muted colors, old feel film stock, and good hockey action. This one really did make it feel like you were there.
Russell’s pretty good. His Canadian accent is a little stunted, but it’s a noble effort. Emmerich’s got a stupid little grin in every single shot. Underacting by non-actor athletes gave the movie a real authenticity. But dramatically, no single dramatic arc is entirely fleshed out. We have snippets of O’Callahan’s busted knee, Craig’s father in the stands, and a vague suggestion of hatred towards Russia, but I’m not sure any of that is enough to get us to really feel for these guys.
In particular, not enough was at stake for Brooks. We’re told of his disappointing career as a player, and his relationship with is wife is a little touchy, but other than that, there’s not a whole lot riding on this for him. On top of that, Brooks is a little disconnected emotionally, and as a viewer, it’s hard to connect with a guy like that.
Compare with Rocky IV, where Rocky is avenging his friend’s death, the relationship with his wife is much more delicate, and the Russian threat is personified and very real. And you have a main character who is emotional and likable and relatable. Yes, Rocky IV had the luxury of being fiction while Miracle had a responsibility to historical events, but maybe Brooks’ personal story wasn’t really a great one for the silver screen.
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