KLITSCHKO: MORE THAN A FIGHT
UK/Germany, 2023, 96 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Kevin Macdonald.
Kevin Macdonald is a longtime British director, Oscar-winning for documentary, the film about the Munich Olympic Games assassinations, One Day in September (2000) but also the director of feature films including The Last King of Scotland.
His focus this time is on the celebrated Ukrainian personality, Detailing Klitschko. The longtime Mayor of Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, since 2014 and continuing during the war with Russia. Which means that the film is interesting for audiences who want to know something more detailed about Ukraine and its experience of the Russian invasion.
However, the significant aspect of his early life is that he was a champion boxer, in Ukraine, but, internationally, in Germany and winning titles in the United States. This film covers a great deal of his boxing background, inserts from footage from the period. Also significant is his brother, Wladimir, also a champion boxer, the two having made names for themselves, especially in the 2000s. Which means the film is of great interest for boxing fans.
The film also fills in the background of their father, strong in the Communist ideology, opposed to the west. But, his becoming a victim of radiation the disaster at Chernobyl. With the fall of the Soviet Empire, the next generation was far more open to the west.
As a personality, Vitaly Klitschko is larger than life, literally in height and weight. In the film highlights his screen presence, offering a whole range of episodes where he meets people, read and listen is, but also some challenges. This is particularly the case after the Russian invasion and its effect on the population of Kyiv.
There is some counterbalance as well as complimentary attitudes towards Klitschko and his personality, the film interspersed with interviews from his children, admiringly, and his ex-wife supportive but also insightful about their relationship and his personality.
A surprising perspective is the interactions between Klitschko President Zelenskyy. When Zelenskyy was a popular comedian, he did imitations and taunts of Klitzschko, especially moments when Klitzschko was comparatively inarticulate and awkward. With the invasion and Zelenskyy’s presidency, there is still a personality clash, Zelenskyy thinking Klitzschko is just a popular and populist leader, while Klitzschko considers Zelenskyy as wanting to centralise power for himself.
McDonald gives enough material to help audiences appreciate this difference – though, it does sometimes seems slanted against the Zelenskyy.
With a documentary being released during the war with Russia and the uncertainty of the outcome, this film will be interesting to watch and reflect on after the conflict between Ukraine and Russia is resolved, whether it be peace and some autonomy for Ukraine, or Russian dominance.
