Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait

This is one of the best docs about football (soccer) ever made and one of the best films detailing a man at his workplace. The filmmakers pick one of the best footballers of his generation in his last season of his career with Real Madrid. Beckham and Ronaldo makes a few cameos but make no doubt about it Zinedine Zidane is the star.

I should warn viewers that this is not a biography of Zizou's life and career but an artist's documentary that follows Zidane around the pitch (with 18 cameras) in a La Liga game at the Bernabeau against Villareal. It is an amazing portrait of a athlete at work as any film ever created.

And the ending is incredible (and no I will not give it away)

Zidane's career, since this film was made, has been clouded by his actions in the 2006 World Cup final, but make no doubt about it he was one of the greats who ever put on a pair of cleats and kicked the ball around, and this film proves it!

I was able to watch the main feature (worth every cent by the way). However, the extras will not play which is very frustrating as there is an interview with Zidane that I particularly wanted to see. Anyone else have this problem?

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This is a very well conceived re-make of an earlier film made about George Best during a Manchester United v Coventry match called "Fußball wie noch nie" (Football as Never Before) by Hellmuth Costard. In the original film only 6 or 8 cameras follow just Georgie around exclusively but still gives the viewer the ambience and the sense of the environment around the player and the match. This modern re-encarnation takes the match a little further and shows how the world can operate in conjunction with the event as well as seperately from it. Zidane as a player not only has an effect on the 90,000+ in the Santiago Bernabeu but also on fans across the world. His every word and his every move exemplifies the influence of the sport on the audience. Beyond that it's a very true and honest portrayal of the game itself, the beauty, the intricicies, the ugliness, and ultimately it's objectivity. The game exists regardless of the actors and the audience, and this movie shows exactly that premis.

Read Best Reviews of Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait Here

Blu-Ray arrived on schedule and was in perfect condition. I watched it that night and it was well worth it. Great service!

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This is a great movie with a wonderful soundtrack. Spike Lee tried to do a similar movie with Kobe after seeing this movie. If you like the beautiful game it is worth seeing. It explains why Zidane ruined the World Cup as well. It is a different way to watch a match and worth a view.