There is no denying the fact that Hollywood loves an underdog. Perhaps this is because big name studios can bring these individuals’ captivating stories to the silver screen without having us realize that more often than not, they are only attempting to conceal their lack of creativity by selling us the same story we have seen time and time before — but with a new cover, of course. “The Express: The Ernie Davis Story,” based on the true story of the first black Heisman trophy winner, is a prime example of this trap, as it disguises its exhausted plot threads to trick audiences into thinking they are watching something truly original.

Despite echoing every other underdog tale, this movie might have been entertaining had director Gary Fleder (“Runaway Jury”) and screenwriter Charles Leavitt (“Blood Diamond”) been able to efficiently combine an exciting and passionate football atmosphere with the film’s intended message about overcoming the racially-charged obstacles as both intriguing and thought-provoking.

Although Leavitt displayed tremendous skill in subtly presenting a powerful message about the diamond industry in “Blood Diamond” without taking away from the film’s entertainment value, his heavy-handed approach towards this film is disastrous. Whether it is through dumbed down, “motivational” dialogue or the addition of otherwise irrelevant scenes, Leavitt relentlessly reminds us exactly what statement this film is trying to make. The result is an overly dramatic film that so desperately tries to get its point across that it extends well beyond its climax just to pummel the audience a few more times with its message.

Raised in poverty in the southern tier of New York state, Ernie Davis (Rob Brown, “Stop-Loss”) is a quiet young man who must overcome insurmountable barriers on the way to becoming a premier athlete. Yet, soon after committing to play football for Syracuse University under bull-headed coach Ben Schwartzwalder (Dennis Quaid, “Smart People”), Davis realizes he must become much more than just another black running back. What follows is the inspirational true story of how this pioneer for the civil rights movement altered how America viewed black men by speaking volumes both on and off the field.

While this is “The Ernie Davis Story,” that does not mean the producers should have simply avoided developing the characters of sentimental importance to Davis. For a dramatic film to have a poignant impact, the audience has to understand and feel the emotions running through Davis in situations such as the one when his grandfather dies. Yet this is complicated to do when this character was vastly underdeveloped to begin with. The same goes when you include a love interest in the film. It is hard to feel the chemistry between Davis and this woman when she comes off as little more than a stranger.

Having already taken on the role of the veteran quarterback in “Any Given Sunday” and the aging ballplayer in “The Rookie,” it was only a matter of time before Dennis Quaid picked up the clipboard for a film, and unsurprisingly, he does so with great success. With his likeable intensity and rough around the edges persona, Quaid is perfectly suited to take on the role of Schwartzwalder, and his portrayal is by far this film’s biggest draw.

Unfortunately, Quaid’s performance greatly overshadows Brown, who continues to disappoint those who praised his breakout performance in “Finding Forrester” eight years ago. It is not that Brown is unbelievable as Davis, it is just he is unable to bring a part of himself to the role and, therefore, merely acts as a vessel for pushing the plot along.

While the film does succeed in providing an abundance of exhilarating pigskin action, the cinematography in these scenes is, at times, nauseating. The director’s misguided technique of rapidly alternating from one camera to the next leaves both Davis’ opponents and the audience’s heads reeling. The cameras also tend to incomprehensibly pulsate whenever Davis is about to run, creating an obscure effect comparable to a PlayStation 3 controller during a game of “Madden.”

In the end, you are better off avoiding “The Express” for more engaging underdog sports flicks like “Remember the Titans” and “Rudy.” At least that way you are guaranteed to get your football fix and a winning message without feeling like you were cheated out of your money by Hollywood.

2 stars out of 5