Invincible (**1/2)

Invincible is the kind of movie that is impossible to dislike. It has a good story, it's well told, and it's ripped from the Disney playbook of family, feel-good sports flicks, not unlike Miracle, Remember the Titans, and The Rookie. It's a formula that can't really lose, and to date, hasn't. Invincible is as predictable as movies get. There are zero surprises. And yet, you don't really care. Why do we fall for these movies? Why are underdog sports flicks so enjoyable? Probably the same reason so many people love sports. The thrill of victory and of overcoming great odds are perfect subjects for a movie. I also liked seeing Mark Wahlberg in another 70's period setting after Boogie Nights. I guess the only other problem I had with Invincible, other than its predictability and dumb title, was the fact that it didn't really have any other story to fall back on. The Rookie had a father-son dynamic, and Remember the Titans had racial issues. Invincible keeps a pretty tight focus on one man's accomplishments. It tries to work in some story on the economic problems in Philadelphia, but doesn't do a very good job of it. But again, you won't care all that much. Invincible is fool-proof moviemaking.