Remember the Titans is a celebration of how a town torn apart by resentment, friction, and mistrust comes together in triumphant harmony. The year is 1971. After leading his team to 15 winning seas...
Remember The Titans Rated and Reviewed
An analysis into a movie about way more than just high school football
Alexandria, Virginia, 1971, a newly integrated high school football team must come together under an African American head coach to succeed in their common goal of winning a state championship while overcoming the wake of massive change.
The 2000 film, Remember the Titans produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Boaz Yakin is based on a true story of African American coach Herman Boone who was hired to integrate the T. C. Williams High School football team in Alexandria, Virginia in 1971. As a sports film and drama, Remember the Titans portrays the complex themes of overcoming racism and adversity. Led by African American coach Herman Boone (Denzel Washington) and assistant coach Bill Yoast (Will Patton), the Titans team learn to overcome adversity both on and off the field in a community riddled with racial hatred. When Herman Boone, an African American, is hired as head coach of the Titans, taking over Yoast’s position, the town’s football community goes wild. For the sake of his players, Yoast stays as defensive coordinator. The first meeting of the team is tense with the white players, led by Yoast, arriving late in a mass entrance and highlighting the racial tension the team will soon face. In this moment, coach Boone sees that he is going to have his work cut out for him at football camp in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
Once at the football camp, Boone separates the boys by offense and defense, forcing the whites to sit and share rooms with the blacks, as well as learn details about each player of the opposite race's background. Boone proves to be a vicious, dictatorial leader who expects nothing less than perfection with the declaration “This is no democracy. It is a dictatorship. I am the law.” Off to an initial rough start, Boone’s harsh tactics and philosophy show the team that they can only win if they work together the boys. After leading the team on a rigorous run through the woods to the battlefield of Gettysburg, coach Boone gives a powerful speech about how on this battlefield they were fighting the same fight, that is still being fought by them today, telling them: "If we don't come together on this hallowed ground, we, too, will be destroyed."
After the team returns from camp, the community is stunned by the way the boys now interact with one another, acting as if color doesn't matter. The boys soon realize that once back in their community race does matter. Learning to overcome adversity, the team developed bonds and even highlighted their differences from every team in the league by warming up in song and dance to a catchy riff: “...so we tell them...We Are The Titans!... We Are The Titans!... The Mighty Mighty Titans! -The Mighty Mighty Titans!...”
The ability to bond with the characters in this movie is one of main the reasons that makes this movie outstanding. Character Sheryl Yoast (Hayden Pantierrie), coach Yoast’s nine-year-old daughter, is a spitfire with a love for football that adds comical relief throughout the movie. The relationship development between teammates Gary Bertier (Ryan Hurst) and Julias Campbell (Wood Harris) adds yet another layer to the plot showing their complex relationship that leads to a brotherly bond. Denzel Washington’s acting is the foundation of the movie, putting emotion, sincerity and power into role of coach Herman Boone. The football field is used as a peacemaker between the boys, where racial harmony is a requirement for the success of the team. The two sets of moral leaders, coach Boone and Coach Yoast, as well as Gary Burtier (Ryan Hurst) and Julias Campball (Wood Harris), work to solidify the message into the movie.
Remember the Titans is more than just a “feel good” football movie. It is a story with a suspenseful plot, a strong balance between football, race relations and friendship that makes this movie easy and compelling to watch. Young ladies will especially enjoy the good looks, and personalities of many of the team members. The friendship and humor of team gives the vibe of that wholesome American pastime that will make you wonder what it was like to live in the South in that era.
In short, Remember the Titans is a movie that I will cherish my entire lifetime and show to my children because of the beautiful message it conveys. The football scenes are amazingly and bring a high level of excitement to viewers even if you are not a football fan. Characters such as Ray Budds (Burgess Jenkins), “Sunshine” (Kip Pardue), and Sheryl Yoast (Hayden Panettiere) are well acted and provide conflict and humor that are crucial to the plot of the movie. Adding to the movie’s appeal is the perfectly selected soundtrack, including my favorite classics such as Marvin Gaye’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, Cat Stevens “Peace Train”, and The Hollies “Long Cool Women.”
With intense live action football scenes, well-developed characters, a strong but not overpowering message about race, and an amazing soundtrack, Remember the Titans is a movie I would recommend to people of any age, race, or gender.
