Klitschko

Almost everyone knows them. Whether as successful athletes or as advertising icons consuming snacks made from milk and honey. Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko are easily the most popular boxers in this country, if not among the most popular athletes ever. But little is known about their childhood, their family and their long way to the top of boxing. That can now be changed, as the Klitschko documentary brings an entertaining and very intimate look at the brothers' lives and careers to our cinemas.

For more than two years, director Sebastian Dehnhardt accompanied the brothers, visited with them the house where they spent part of their childhood, interviewed companions and family members, and took a look behind the scenes of boxing. The result is an engaging portrait of two great athletes who show true greatness in their professional, personal and social lives. It is particularly interesting to see how different Vitali and Wladimir are as boxers, the way they deal with defeat and the iron will with which they fight their way back to the top after each setback. In Vitali's case, this includes not only his sporting career, but also a political one. As a faction leader in the Kiev city parliament, Vitali Klitschko tries everything to push through his visions of a better Ukraine - a fight that is sometimes tougher than a heavyweight fight.

Klitschko shows very private sides of the Ph.D. without slipping for a moment into overly lurid tabloid-magazine style. At almost two hours, however, the documentary is a bit too long, which is especially noticeable in the last third. Here, the interviews offer little new and somehow seem to go around in circles. Fans of the boxing gentlemen will not mind that. They get to see two very likeable athletes who like to talk about their strengths, but also do not hide their weaknesses. It's nice that some of their opponents also get a word in, who obviously have great respect for the Klitschkos. A good documentary, which is primarily aimed at fans of the Klitschkos, but also has some interesting passages for those viewers who are not interested in boxing. Worth seeing

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp