The title is important to note. This is, much like the recent "King of Kong", a strictly structured and carefully trimmed story, grafted out of real events. It is probably mostly true, but what we see is a heavily controlled emotional piece of filmmaking, designed to tug our heartstrings and send a message. It's a bit more "based on a true story" than a documentary.
Still, it's very ambitious and covers a lot of material in an efficient way. As a European, I don't know much about ESPN, but I gather it's a sports channel? If so, it's certainly been brave with this project! Football wonder-child Andres Escobar is not really the main character, but rather the glue that holds the story of Colombia together.
The documentary chronicles the rise of drug barons, the enormous problems the government has with them, and the unfortunate and somewhat perverse infiltration of narco into sport. It's done in an interesting way, keeping focus on the sport when it needs to and on the drugs when it needs to.
All I could have wished for is that the directors could have relaxed a bit in the style section. The shots and music can get a little bit over-dramatic, and some small things become annoying(the reversing of footage when it isn't quite long enough to fit with the pacing, or the mirroring in some interviews). Subtitles seem quite simplistic as well, but I don't speak Spanish, so I can't be sure.
All in all, however, this is a very watchable documentary, both for fans and non-fans of "soccer".
Still, it's very ambitious and covers a lot of material in an efficient way. As a European, I don't know much about ESPN, but I gather it's a sports channel? If so, it's certainly been brave with this project! Football wonder-child Andres Escobar is not really the main character, but rather the glue that holds the story of Colombia together.
The documentary chronicles the rise of drug barons, the enormous problems the government has with them, and the unfortunate and somewhat perverse infiltration of narco into sport. It's done in an interesting way, keeping focus on the sport when it needs to and on the drugs when it needs to.
All I could have wished for is that the directors could have relaxed a bit in the style section. The shots and music can get a little bit over-dramatic, and some small things become annoying(the reversing of footage when it isn't quite long enough to fit with the pacing, or the mirroring in some interviews). Subtitles seem quite simplistic as well, but I don't speak Spanish, so I can't be sure.
All in all, however, this is a very watchable documentary, both for fans and non-fans of "soccer".