Maradona, the Hand of God (2007)

Really Surprised!

Just perfect...

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Blistering performances.

First of all, production values are terrible. The script is mumbling and bumbling and the interviews dire. The director makes no attempt to dig deeper into Maradona stupid ideas or actions and just lets him talk. Rambling about how Prince Charles was dying to meet him and Maradona said no. Really? I doubt if PC even knows who you are. And then there's his take on the Falklands (surprised he doesn't call it Malvinas) he completely ignores that it was his country who started a war and then got their asses handed to them. It was the Argentine government who sold out his country not the British. Then he tries to pretend he is a champion of the people. He goes back to visit his old slum house where young children still play in the dirt. With just one months pay cheque he could have saved those children and his old village from poverty. Did he? Does he? No. He prefers to put it up his nose. In the end all this film did was reassure me what I always thought. Maradona is a self obsessed, egotistical, drug fuelled, selfish pig. Trading on the fame that European football clubs gave him. Now he lives his life back in Argentina and as has been proved by the recent World Cup, just about the only place that will have him. Far from a FIFA embassador the guy is a disgrace to football. And for the record the second goal he scored against England has aged as badly as him. It's not that great. No tackles went in on him and he only really went past 3 people. One of which was on a yellow card and could not tackle. He made his goal record mostly against rubbish teams too. So in conclusion if you want to watch a badly shot, badly presented pile of sycophantic idiots follow a has been around Argentina waiting for him to die... this is the film for you. Everyone else... avoid.

As a soccer movie, seven stars, as a movie in general, six.I had previously read "Hand of God" by Jimmy Burns, a book on Maradona so upon reading this, the basic storyline of the book really did come to life. I looked at the credits and there did not seem to be any reference to this book in this joint effort by both Spanish and Italian film-makers. The movie does have a sort of aura like a made-for-TV movie and running at nearly 2 hours and I believe with the stamp of RAI, a national broadcasting company in Italy, I believe that is what it must be, but biographically, in showing us some of the main events of Maradona's life, it has some success. Those wishing for great detail will see it would not be easy to do without adding much time to it.Those main events of course, entail his professional career and of course, his playing for the National team of Argentina, the "Albiceleste" and with the latter, the movie does take off and I indeed found it exciting, almost World Cup exciting accompanied with actual video of those games. Does one want to get in the mood for one of the biggest events in the sports world, the soccer/football World Cup? Watch this, regardless of whom your favorite team is. To the close observer too, there are elements that obviously tell us we are in Argentina, etc. To the real Maradona fan or foe, yes, there are some major omissions but overall, it is accurate. The major fan or foe will surely pursue further reading of Diego. The production at times, in my opinion might be faulty in the use of flashbacks in action scenes, some taken from the actual games of Maradona. With that said, the Stallone/Michael Caine/Pele movie "Victory" has often been applauded for its soccer scenes. Perhaps this movie could have taken a page out of how "Victory" did this.The flashbacks do not always work effectively, too, not giving away a main point of the movie but let's say, the producers used a happening to Maradona to make it a metaphor about his life, symbolizing it in essence. I think the use of the metaphor while worthy of being included is referenced too often and overblown in significance, so there are definitely some negative aspects here but I don't find it an overwhelming concern and did someone say "cheesy", maybe a tiny bit of pop cheese can be found. Did I hear someone say "telenovela", well, I tend to expect that coming out of Latin America. For detractors of the movie, I note also those commercially plugging the movie tend to overpraise the man, so it balances out. To test the accuracy of this film and yes, I watched Maradona play in the World Cup, research what the movie presents before scoffing at it, watch or read about the games Maradona played in and the path his career took. I honestly think it puts him in a bit of a better light than what the truth says, but that is only my opinion. I saw the movie "Babe Ruth" with John Goodman. In a way, as a sports biography, I'd say this would compare favorably. Summing it up, if you are a fan of Maradona's mastery on the field, you will definitely find this in this movie along with attention to his own self-destructive behavior and personal life. If it were a made-for-TV type of movie, it should have been a two-parter. It's not the total truth on this major sports figure but it's a start.

My "credentials": Argentine and also met Diego and Claudia and the team in Boston in 1994... This movie MISSED: The whole episode in 1990 with Diego trying to turn Naples against Italy. Talking about his love for el CheGuevara. Diego's friendship with Castro. The 2 goals vs England in 1986 totally screwed up with some bad photoshop quality effects showing the actor as a child and as an adult in the middle of these two goals which are totally impressive and Unforgettable on their own right. And the significance of this game only a couple of years after the Falklands is totally ignored. His relationship with Menem. His love for Boca where he eventually plays... The movie was an overly sentimental cliché about how good he was and his devotion to his daughters, parents, Argentina and sometimes Claudia and his self destructive issues which are never really explained. We constantly see Diego have nightmares about drowning and it all plays like a bad sixties movie about a Rock star going bad. ... There was/is so much material for his life but the movie stayed very bi-dimensional and repetitive. Also, the LIGHT was horrible... did their budget run short? ... I did like the beginning because it had a good reflection and ambiance of what Buenos Aires was like around 1960... ... Even the "Hand of God" title was misused: Diego mentioned a long time AFTER the episode, yet they make it sound like he used that term right after... He denied the hand ball for a long time... ... Go Messi!!! Claudio

I saw this film in Italy but I am from Argentina. Of course this is different point of view. The life of Diego is showed as real as he told. You can think this is not all the true (and probably ain't), but actually is the most near story to the real life of Maradona. The film, is counted through flashbacks between the present and the past. Showing a man with success and errors and with a great self-destructing capacity. We see a contradictory, frank, arrogant, fragile, generous man. The film is not more than what seeks to be and that it is its main virtue. Excellent the first 15 minutes. With the sick Diego seeing to his self at childhood playing in a big stadium. Good cast and atmosphere.