It is the 1980 Wimbledon tennis championship. Bjorn Borg is the number 1 tennis player in the world and the undisputed king of Wimbledon. He has won the tournament four times in a row - a fifth consecutive time would be a world first. However, a new face has appeared in the tennis world and presents a serious threat to Borg's title hopes - John McEnroe.

Good movie, and surprisingly so. Seeing Shia LaBeouf in the credits, as McEnroe, made me set my expectations quite low. However, it turned out to be an interesting and exciting movie.

What made the movie good was that it is not a dry, join-the-dots docudrama. There is character development, showing Borg and McEnroe's backgrounds, how their sporting mentalities and personas were formed and how these influence, to the point of determining, their game. Very engaging.

The choice of rivalry contributes to the engagement of the movie. There could not have been more opposite rivals in the world of sport. Borg: the ice-cold, emotionless base-line player. McEnroe: the temperamental, irascible, serve-and-volleyer. The contrast, and how their personalities affect their game, makes for enthralling viewing.

I'm no tennis expert, but the tennis scenes seem very well done and realistic. Also, the mental side of playing sport at the highest level is covered fairly well.

Good performances from Sverrir Gudnason as Borg and Shia LeBeouf as McEnroe. Good support from Stellan Skarsgard and Tuva Novotny.

On the negative side, the coverage of Borg's mental side state seems overwrought and slows down the momentum of the movie. Yes, it was necessary, actually vitally important, to the movie, as it showed the pressure Borg was under and the downsides to fame and being the world Number 1 (at anything). It also provides a good explanation to what would happen later in Borg's career. However, too much of the movie is showing how Borg wrestles with these demons - we got it the first time round, no need to repeat it several times.

In addition, the focus appears mostly on Borg. McEnroe's background is sketched very basically. A bit more balance was necessary.

Despite not being a sporty person (always one of the subjects that saw me struggling most in school, particularly when it came to co-ordination and sometimes speed),that doesn't stop me from finding some of them interesting to watch portrayed in television matches and film.

Tennis is one of the more interesting and easy to watch sports to me and this particular story is one of the most fascinating in the history of the sport. 'Borg vs McEnroe' was seen for those reasons and on the most part it doesn't disappoint. There may be better biopics around, but 'Borg vs McEnroe' both intrigues and entertains, it's emotion-filled, affectionate, absorbing and mostly respectful. Anyone who loves tennis or is fascinated by the story or biopics in general will find a lot to like about 'Borg vs McEnroe' and despite the 15 certificate, for some swearing and some topless shots (that one can find for themselves as to whether they find them necessary or not),it's more accessible than one would think.

Borg's story has a little more flesh, although McEnroe is the more colourful character in personality, Borg being calmer and McEnroe being more extroverted. Borg's story has a lot of genuine power and really resonates emotionally. McEnroe is still interesting, but his relationship with his parents could have been expanded upon more which would have made some of his motivations clearer.

Furthermore the title cards are cheesy and over-explanatory, also making broad statements like at the start and doing nothing to back them up. The Studio 54 nightclub scene didn't serve much point and the representation of the media, while perhaps not too far from the truth, was on the heavy-handed and extreme side.

On the other hand, 'Borg vs McEnroe' is very solidly made visually, nicely shot and does nothing to undermine any transitions or shifts. The music complements well and Janus Metz directs with clear passion and enthusiasm for the subject.

Scripting is intelligent and thought-provoking, it intrigues and entertains throughout and does well in allowing one to care for the characters and the story while also having a lot of heart that makes 'Borg vs McEnroe' very moving. The story is both uplifting and poignant, structurally it's always cohesive and rarely disjointed even if some parts are better explored than others. The tennis sequences capture the excitement and tension of the sport very compellingly and accurately.

A huge part of what makes 'Borg vs McEnroe' work so well is the cast. Sverrir Gudnason is excellent as Borg, and no it's not just the uncanny physical resemblance, it's how poignantly collected he is and how he plays the role with depth and intensity. Stellan Skarsgard brings a lot of subtlety and quiet dignity, while Tuva Novotny, David Bamber and Robert Emms do more than serviceably making their characters more than caricatures (although not a lot of attention is given to their development enough). Was most surprised by Shia LaBeouf in one of his best and most committed performances as McEnroe, providing that he is more than capable when making good choices and when the material allows it.

In summary, very intriguing and well done. 7/10 Bethany Cox

It's 1980. Björn Borg (Sverrir Gudnason) is #1 chasing a historic 5th consecutive Wimbledon. #2 John McEnroe (Shia LaBeouf) is the bad boy of tennis. On the surface, these two are complete opposites but they have a lot in common. Lennart Bergelin (Stellan Skarsgård) has been Borg's coach since he was an angry young boy. Borg is breaking down from the pressures of his perfection and his fame. McEnroe is isolated due to his reputation. The two would meet in one of the most epic tennis matches in history.

Borg's story is compelling. The acting is perfect. The character's internal journey is grand. McEnroe's character journey lacks by comparison. It probably needs a bit more. LaBeouf is great. The most surprising dissection of his tantrums come from Borg. The tennis match is pretty good. The more compelling scenes come from the locker room. This is a very good sports movie and character studies.