Like his previous films, director Asif Kapadia leaves it up to his viewers to draw their own conclusions from yet another controversial subject, Diego Maradona. Asif Kapadia, director of Amy, delivers two hours inside the life of Argentina’s most prized athlete, Diego Maradona in his new documentary Maradona. Kapadia, no stranger to having his docs be about disputed stars, shows another case of someone acquiring fame too early, except this time the main subject is alive.
Kapadia takes us through the life and legacy of Maradona, while also including but not focusing on the hedonistic lifestyle that also accompanied the athlete’s incredible skills on the field.
The film starts off with an epic opening montage, showing the end of Maradona’s career at FC Barcelona over to the small, mob-ridden town of Naples. Kapadia sets up expectations but glancing over but not focusing on the sex and drug-fueled escapades of the former bad boy of soccer, Diego Maradona.
The first part of the documentary deals with Maradona’s move to Naples, and how he not only changed the soccer team’s record but also becoming a Demi-God by his departure. After bringing the team to first place, he started to become more and more popular, and eventually worshiped by a town that has been discriminated against for centuries.
Towards the end, betrayal and drugs finish off Maradona’s career. Not only was the man trying to get out of Naples in order to run away from his overwhelming following, but he had to deal with the aftermath of beating Italy in the 1990 World Cup, which took place in Naples. After that, he knew he had to get out, even though the president of the club wasn’t letting him leave.
The documentary seems to have almost everything to keep it interesting: the obvious drugs, prostitutes, and of course the politics behind the sport and Italy. Diego Maradona himself remained confused as to where he stood on a lot of issues, making it hard for people to draw a definitive conclusion on whether or not he’s a good person.
Much like Amy, Kapadia chooses a subject with many demons, and while not making this the focal point of the documentary, still includes them to show the duality of man (or woman). Maradona leaves it up to us to see these demons, hear testimonies from friends and fans, and make the decision ourselves.
Maradona’s overall style remains similar to its predecessors, with no video interviews throughout, just voice overs to found footage of events or Maradona himself. The soundtrack has the essential 80’s style synthesizers, bearing a striking resemblance to Scarface, and makes the story that much epic.
In the end, Maradona can’t substitute live matches, for obvious reasons. The man was an absolute legend that caused turmoil every city he went to and watching it unfold live must have been life-changing. However, the never-before-seen footage accompanied with the style and soundtrack makes it must see for any soccer fan, and will probably be a favorite for most.
AVAILABLE TUE, OCT 1 AT 9:00PM ET ON HBO GO AND HBO NOW
