Miracle

No movie encompasses national pride for Americans more than Miracle. At a time when things were tense between the Soviet Union and the United States, a major underdog American ice hockey team rose to the occasion and defeated the unbeatable USSSR.

            In 1980, if you had asked Americans how much they cared about hockey they would have probably told you to leave that to the Canadians. If you asked those same people about the Soviet Union, hockey would have been one the last thing brought up. Cold War would have likely been the center on conversation, so when the 1980 Winter Olympics came around, there was little to be excited for as far as hockey goes. Not only did hockey lack focus in the United States, the team was more of a makeshift group of college kids than a medal competing squad. And not only did the team upset the Soviets in Lake Placid, they went on to take the gold medal. Any American from that time who doesn’t believe that the win against the USSSR was one of the most prideful moments in American sports history is flat out lying.

            When Miracle was releasing in 2004, there seemed to be resurgence in national pride directly related to that victory. Americans from my generation who were not around to witness that glorious event were able to witness the upset via theatre screens. You would swear our generation had a hand involved with upsetting the Soviets. Facebook statuses across the country proclaimed American pride even over two decades later.

            Nationalism connected to Miracle is obvious. The film seemed to be made in an effort to spark interest in America during the Olympic games, not only for the Summer games of 2004, but also because it was the first games following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The United States needed something to believe in, even if it was in something that already happened. Teenagers at the time flocked toward the movie and claimed it as their own time period. It was widely heralded for its inspiration on not only athletes and sports fanatics, but also on an audience that had little to no previous knowledge of hockey in America. All across the country, United States ice hockey had regained popularity and won the hearts of Americans for a second time.