By Joe Bendel. Mother Klitschko is no fun. She expressly prohibited her boxer sons Vitali and Wladimir from fighting each other. Of course, that is exactly what the boxing world wants to see. Sebastian Dehnhardt profiles the two well-educated Ukrainian brothers who rose to the top of the boxing ranks, got knocked down, and clawed their way back in the simply but aptly titled documentary Klitschko, which screens at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival.
Growing up military brats, the Klitschko brothers’ father was an ardent Communist. However, he would pay for his blind faith, when his unit responded to the Chernobyl crisis without adequate protective gear. Fortunately when his cancer inevitably surfaced, the Klitschkos already had sufficient means to provide their father with the best of western medicine. Coincidentally, the now cancer-free Col. Klitschko has had a complete ideological change of heart, at least according to his sons.
Though not technically twins, the Klitschko boys were always big and nearly impossible to tell apart. The older Vitali actually started out as a kick-boxer while so-called “Western martial arts” were prohibited in the Orwellian Soviet Union. Eventually the Klitschkos switched to boxing, where fighters could make serious money. Due to inopportune injuries, they lost several high profile bouts they should have won. The elder Klitschko was especially dogged by the quitter epithet. Yet, both brothers would have their Rocky moments in the ring.
Klitschko the film is definitely produced with boxing fans in mind. However, those who follow post-Soviet politics will also find Dehnhardt’s documentary engaging. A reformer, the elder Klitschko was even elected to the Kiev City Council for two stormy terms. The film is also unexpectedly (and unfortunately) topical, given the increased interest in the Chernobyl disaster following the near-repeat in Fukushima.
Not surprisingly, Dehnhardt shows a whole lot of fight footage, but he establishes the dramatic import of each match quite clearly. In addition to the Klitschkos and their parents, he also includes extensive commentary from their contemporaries in the ring, many of whom, like Chris Byrd (and his young son) are truly gracious on-camera. Frankly, the film has no villains, per se (except perhaps the delegate who inexplicably took a swing at Vitali Kilitschko during a heated council session). Indeed, Dehnhardt argues the lack of a flashy nemesis has prevented the pugilist brothers from getting their proper due. Of course, they can hardly go back in time and fight Ali in his prime.
While they are certainly imposing, the Brothers Klitschko are clearly smart and articulate. Unlike UFC champ Anderson Silva who appears reticent to the point of apathy in Like Water, his own documentary also screening at Tribeca, the Klitschkos make the effort to connect with the audience. Briskly paced and quite informative, Klitschko is one of the best docs at this year’s festival. Highly recommended, it screens again tomorrow (4/30).
LFM GRADE: A
Posted on April 29th, 2011 at 8:41am.
It looks fantastic — I love boxing, and can’t think of a better subject for a documentary.