Forever Strong

schoepeo commented that "Hollywood ruined rugby". I don't know where or when you played rugby, but 2 of my sons played high school rugby in Arizona for a coach from New Zealand that played at the collegiate level and this movie represented high school rugby at it's best! The Flagstaff team represented the local Arizona Highland High School team that was known for it's illegal tackles and attempts to cheat and play gutter rugby. The Highland team represented my sons' team which played at a high level of integrity and grit. The rugby scenes reminded me of the many games I went to and videotaped for the team. The Hakka reminded me of the joy in my sons' eyes as they participated in it prior to each game. The hits, flips, crushes, etc. reminded me of the many bloody shirts I washed weekly for the team. The coach and his integrity, work ethic, rugby drills (including running with another player on your back - my sons' coach had them run UPHILL), and sense of giving back to the community reminded me of my sons' coach. This movie TRULY represented high school rugby and if it's not what you have experienced, you've missed the best rugby has to offer!

First of all, I know almost nothing about rugby, so although I found the rugby-aspect of this movie to be interesting it could have been any sport and I think I would have enjoyed it just as much. The fact that it as about rugby didn't make it any better or worse for me.

What made this movie great is the story itself, based on actual events that have occurred over the last 30 years with the Highland Rugby club. Coach Gelwix is the kind of coach that most every parent would like their children to have, someone who cares more about the person than the sport (even though they have won 17 national championships and have only lost 9 games in over 30 years!). The more I have learned about the coach and team the more I like this movie and its message.

I have seen other sports movies that seemed great at first, but then I researched the details only to find that most of those movies were 10% fact and 90% fiction, with the 10% of facts being greatly exaggerated. Not so with Forever Strong. It may seem too good to be true, but that's what's so amazing about it. If it were fiction it would just be an enjoyable story and nothing more. Instead, the movie is inspirational and makes you want to be a better person.

Don't miss this movie because of a few negative reviews by professional critics. I have been reading some of their reviews and most of them have given the movie horrible reviews. These are generally the same critics who rave about movies that most people hate. In fact, I would be worried if some of these critics had given the movie good reviews because I almost always disagree with their opinions.

Go see this movie and post your review (positive or negative)! Currently most of the audience reviews are enthusiastically positive (here and on Rotten Tomatoes and similar sites), and I am interested to see if this trend continues. Thanks!

I've not seen the movie so can't comment on whether it's any good or not, but I can say that Haka *are* unique to New Zealand. Saying it's not exclusive to NZ is like saying the Star Spangled Banner isn't exclusive to the USA - sure it can be performed by others, but it doesn't have the same meaning as it does to those who 'own' it. Haka is the Maori term for a group vocal/dance which can be a greeting, acknowledgement, or challenge ('war dance').

Similar dances are performed by many cultures around the world and, across the Pacific, a number of specific ones are used by rugby teams before international matches. These all have different names, i.e. in Samoa it's the Siva tau, Tonga have the Kailao, Fiji have the Cibi. Ka Mate is the Maori haka made famous by the All Blacks and is considered intellectual property of the Ngati Toa iwi as it was gifted to them by the NZ government very recently (they've been contesting ownership of the dance for some years, tho).

The issue with it being included in this film has nothing to do with the real Highlands rugby team performing Ka Mate - that's a separate issue. The problem was the makers of the film not asking permission to use it in the film and making money from it - much like any recording artist would expect to be asked/remunerated if their song was part of the soundtrack to a film.

Personally, I feel that if a team wishes to perform another culture's dance they should at least understand where it comes from, what it means, and faithfully reproduce it - preferably with permission. Otherwise - feel free to come up with your own! Make something original and special to your own team and circumstances.

Now before people start having a breakdown about this movie (those who play rugby anyway) this is a film! It's been given the Hollywood treatment to entertain people and therefore those who play rugby (myself included) are naturally gonna pick holes in the choreography of the game in the film. Althogether it is a decent film and bring to the attention the morals and ideas behind the game of rugby.

The film is based on a real team, a real coach and his work helping guide kids in the right direction to be better people in the future, and also is based on real people who have played for the highland team. Its just a typical sports movie with a character who is misguided and eventually finds his way on the right track again through the rugby medium in this case. Is generally a feel good movie that is enjoyable but has flaws in terms of it's portrayal of the game. however, like i said it is a film under the Hollywood treatment.

From Goff on Rugby: "Salt Lake City is a destination point for many young people of Polynesian extraction, especially those of the Mormon faith, and there are many. Despite the fact that many Highland detractors assume anyone with a Pacific-sounding name is in the country temporary, that's not true." "Highland High School has, for years, been designated as an English as a Second Language school, and as such gets many kids whose parents were born overseas. And often the kids were too. Some of them play rugby."

http://rugbyimports.com/web/newsarchives/052405.htm

So, if the rugby club has a considerable percentage of Pacific Islanders, is it more believable for them to be doing the Haka? While the All Blacks have made the Haka famous, it's not exclusive to NZ. Other Pacific islands (Tonga, Samoa)perform a Haka as well.

It's not a requirement to be Maori to be selected as an All Black, but you will be expected to perform the Haka. Highland does perform the Haka, and has done the version(KaMaTe)made famous by the All Blacks. I don't know if it's appropriate for them to do so, but they do, so in that respect the movie is accurate.

Unfortunately, if the story line is mediocre, it may do more harm than good for the image of rugby in the USA. Haka or not, people will just see a lame movie with rugby as the main plot device. Won't know 'til I see it.