AniInterview Sorry, this movie sucks

UnowPriceless hyped garbage

Adeel Hail Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

Allison Davies The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

The Man The Myth I hated this in every way. I'll be honest, I hadn't heard of Kusturica before seeing it but I've since learned he's regarded as a genius in filmmaking.Even though Maradona is a cheating, egotistical little fool, there's no escaping the fact that he's a colourful individual and was one hell of a footballer.However, I learned very little more than I already knew about him. Everything was done so obviously on Maradona's terms. It was nothing more than an arty Maradona love-in. He hates the USA, he hates Britain, he loves Castro, he loved cocaine, he played a good game of football. That much we did learn. However, I and anyone else who follows football, already knew that. But, let's not forget, he cheated time and time again. Whilst he comes across as remorseful for the effect him doing drugs had on his family, he clearly sees himself as a victim for the effect it had on his career. The man was a professional sportsman, an idol and role model for millions around the world, yet he's bitter and feels hard-done-by about the fact that he was one of those to get caught out.Any cheating on the pitch, namely the infamous 'Hand of God' against England, was portrayed as no more than a schoolboy prank he got away with. How did Maradona get away with it? According to Maradona it was because of God (further proof of Maradona's deluded mind)! Then, frequently during the film, Kusturica depicts the second goal in the same game (reputedly the best goal ever scored) as some sort of political comment on the Falklands War, with a cartoon Maradona slaying Prince Charles, the Queen and Margaret Thatcher to name a few. Sorry, but whilst the goal was a stroke of genius, it was no political comment; it's just convenient to suggest it was.A footballer surely doesn't justify such an arty piece of filmmaking. If a filmmaker's intention is to profile a footballer, then surely a chronological study from the start to present day is what's needed, not philosophical ramblings over what made him what he is/was. If these ramblings taught us anything, then fine, but they didn't. He wasn't a revolutionary (although he clearly believes he is), he wasn't the great ruler of a nation (I'm sure he believes he's this too). He was a footballer and a cheat. A brilliant footballer, yes, and arguably the best to have ever lived and his life off the pitch is thought to be equally as (if not more so) fascinating as his life on it. That's why I'm so frustrated to have learnt so little from this. I wanted to hear him discuss in greater detail his humble beginnings, his rise through the ranks in footballing terms, his experiences with drugs, more details around his time at Barcelona and Napoli etc. The lack of facts and the general sycophantic tone that shrouded the whole film left me none the wiser and even less enamoured by Maradona than I was to begin with.It's amazing (and again very odd) to see just how revered he is in Argentina but I wished the film would have stopped dwelling on the fact and get on with some steadfast facts on the man himself. I don't wish to see some weird looking Argentine couple supposedly getting married at the church of Maradona, nor do I want to see Maradona singing a song (presumably about himself) for what seemed like an eternity. This was just further evidence of his God complex. I found both these scenes to be really peculiar.Aside from it being mind-numbingly dull, I found the whole thing a bit sinister really. Kusturica especially so. His voice-over was horrible, his bedraggled appearance horrible and then you get him fawning all over the supposed great man.Maradona's autobiography, El Diego, whilst interesting at times, was like reading a true Rock 'N' Roller's autobiography without any mention of the sex, drugs and excesses that go with it. Whilst a different approach was taken here, it was by no means a more interesting one.Total garbage.

Carson Trent About 15 years ago it was regarded almost as blasphemy to dislike Kusturica's work. The loud gypsy trumpet music and Balcanic blabber with poverty charm was suddenly hip and splattered all over the screen and no longer hidden behind glamorous designer shops in the back alleys of Europe. I have never socially discussed the fact that I didn't particularly enjoyed his stuff except Arizona Dream, because experience taught me that a flavor of the month is a guaranteed magnet for more or less imbecile follow up. Kusturica then announced he will retire from movie making, and for a while things calmed down. Then he came with this. Dios, man...Maradona was a super footballer with a funny physique, that's that. No multiple layers worth exploring. No multiple layers, period. To present his goals as political comment is ludicrous and the whole display is completely tasteless. K says at one point that he feels like a paparazzi waiting to shove the microphone in the star's face...well, talk about the moment of the truth. Maradona is presented taking a bath and talking about Fidel while compromising up his own simplistic viewpoint while K blabbers on about the Balcans and capitalism, Bush and the Queen. I'm surprised K didn't find a connection between Maradona and 12.12 of the Mayan calendar. My question is why did he feel the need to drag Maradona's name into his ego trip? Stay gone K, just stay gone...

bodwin Maradona by Kusturica isn't a film about soccer. It is not really a film about sport. It is a film about hope, glory, divine talent and the shortcomings and greatness of human beings. It's about love, despair and eternal matters.At one point Kusturica asks Maradona which movie star he would want to be, and Maradona immediately answers De Niro in "Raging Bull". "He wanted to knock down everything", Maradona says "I wanted to score goal".Music plays an important role in this film, as in all of Kusturica's work. Both Argentinian tango and the punk rock of the Sex Pistols seem to contain some of the mysterious energy that whirls around Maradona.Maradona's football is irresistible. It compels the audience. When this magical and spiritual force is expressed through the classic story of the underdog fighting his way to the top just to fall down again, we are moved, and cannot help it. It is our own story.Our hero is a martian, a revolutionary, a cocaine addict and a guilt- ridden father and husband. He is not shamed by the fact that he cheated in a world cup match while being watched by hundreds of millions. His regret is that he got high at his daughter's birthday party.This is not only the story of the greatest football player the world has ever seen, it is also the story of USA vs Latin America, of NATO vs Yugoslavia, of the prince of Wales vs the poor boy from the slums.Kusturica manages to capture all this in his film, and in doing so he makes us consider grace. Truly a great film.

corrosion-2 Emir Kusturica's Maradona is not a sports documentary. It is a political, sociological, cultural and also a sporting document of the greatest footballer who ever lived on this planet. It is, like Kusturica movies, exuberant and full of life. It is sad, funny, exciting and controversial.Geroge Bush, whom Maradona refers to as "murderer" is definitely not one of his favorite people. He greatly admires Fidel Castro & Hugo Chavez, with both of whom he is shown with in friendly conversations. When asked about his famous goal against England in the 1986 World Cup (named Goal of The Century by FIFA), he explains that he was motivated by revenge for the Argentinian soldiers killed in the Falklands War by the British. He feels that his ban for doping in the world cup was politically motivated and he likens Havelange & Blatter (respective FIFA presidents) as The Arms Dealer and Bullet Seller respectively!Maradona is philosophical about his cocaine addiction and full of regret that he could have offered so much more to the football world. The footage of his exploits on the playing field, from when he was a kid to his world cup triumph are truly dazzling; no matter how many times you may have seen them before. The movie is full of touching moments, especially those concerning his marriage and his family and friends. Kusturica is clearly a big admirer of his subject and Maradona also seems to be completely at ease with him. Whether you like Maradona as a person or not , after seeing this movie you can not deny that he was a footballing genius and you are also very likely to be moved by his life story. Highly recommended.