By Robert Vercellone – Staff Reporter

“Miracle” is a 2004 sports movie that takes place in Lake Placid, NY, and tells the true story of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team. Coached by Herb Brooks, the team, made up of college players, faced off against the dominant Soviet Union team, which had won the previous four Olympic gold medals. The film captures the intense training, physically and mentally, that led to one of the most iconic upsets in sports history. 

The movie follows Brooks as he selects and trains his team. He pushes them hard to play as a team. The film leads up to the big game against the Soviets. As Brooks said, “Great moments are born from great opportunity.” This quote represents the hardships that this team went through to get to the point that they were at, and that they had an opportunity to beat them.

One of the film’s strengths is the way it tells this story to create an understanding with the audience. The actors did well, and it follows the story well and adds more while making you root for the underdog team. The hockey scenes are also a key point in this film, and they did a good job with them. In one sense, they had to skate for what seems like forever, and the movie was able to capture their emotions and mental state during this time. They captured the struggles of the hockey team and the highs very well, and  the acting was excellent.

Theres nothing really bad to say about this film. Even if viewers are not into hockey, “Miracle” can drag them in and make them want to root for the underdog USA team, and make them want to keep watching. Those who are not into hockey might not understand some scenes, and might make them lose interest, but besides that, this film was beautifully done.

Overall, “Miracle” is an inspiring and well-crafted sports movie. It’s a story about teamwork, dedication, and believing in yourself with so many memorable quotes. It’s a big part of U.S. sports history and a thrilling underdog story. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars