I admit that this topic is right up my alley. I love (football) and I have always had a fascination with Colombia. That said, I only knew a few details surrounding Andres Escobar. This film provides the history and background, and skillfully illustrates the bloody connection between Colombian football and the drug cartels, and shows just how insidious the underworld grip on the national team was by the time World Cup 1994 started.
The documentary is simply thrilling. The stories are surreal in their horror, and shattering in their impact. The final blow is just devastating, even if we know what's coming.
The filmmakers managed to interview many critical figures in the story, and you have to think that this is the definitive document on the subject.
They illustrate how the country was thrown into a state of unprecedented political violence due to what amounted to a one man assault on the state, by Pablo Escobar. Ironically, just as the country was sinking into chaos and despair, the fortunes of the national team soared, and the run up of games leading to qualification to the World Cup united the country, and raised their expectations. By the time the tournament began, Colombia were favorites to win it.
What transpires during and after the tournament is simply unbelievable and tragic. The death of Andres Escobar shocked the world, and triggered the steady decline of Colombian football. Andres was a thoughtful family man and elegant player who was on the brink of super stardom when he was shot and killed in cold blood. He remains a hero in Colombia, and a symbol of integrity.
The film affords a certain freedom to the viewer to assemble his or her own emotions as we watch. It never forces the drama or cheapens the tragedy through glamorization.
It is a towering achievement in documentary film-making, and I will never forget it.
And I will never forget Andres Escobar, "The Gentleman" of football.
The documentary is simply thrilling. The stories are surreal in their horror, and shattering in their impact. The final blow is just devastating, even if we know what's coming.
The filmmakers managed to interview many critical figures in the story, and you have to think that this is the definitive document on the subject.
They illustrate how the country was thrown into a state of unprecedented political violence due to what amounted to a one man assault on the state, by Pablo Escobar. Ironically, just as the country was sinking into chaos and despair, the fortunes of the national team soared, and the run up of games leading to qualification to the World Cup united the country, and raised their expectations. By the time the tournament began, Colombia were favorites to win it.
What transpires during and after the tournament is simply unbelievable and tragic. The death of Andres Escobar shocked the world, and triggered the steady decline of Colombian football. Andres was a thoughtful family man and elegant player who was on the brink of super stardom when he was shot and killed in cold blood. He remains a hero in Colombia, and a symbol of integrity.
The film affords a certain freedom to the viewer to assemble his or her own emotions as we watch. It never forces the drama or cheapens the tragedy through glamorization.
It is a towering achievement in documentary film-making, and I will never forget it.
And I will never forget Andres Escobar, "The Gentleman" of football.