Goal II - Der Traum ist Real!

I watched the first instalment of this and after giving it a moderate rating (see my review) I thought this was worth a look.

I never had too many expectations for this film, having been put firmly on my guard after the non-events of the first and watching it with this attitude made me appreciate and enjoy this film more.

What can I say? Basically it just follows the pleasures, the trials and the tribulations involved in the life of a professional footballer who has just hit the big time after signing for the greatest football team in the world.

The story was very predictable but the football action scenes were excellent with appearances from the likes of greats such as Beckham, Zidane, Raul and Ronaldinho. Reuteur Haur took a good part as the team coach.

As usual the incredibly sexy and gorgeous Anna Friel provided the eye candy - especially in the bedroom scene wearing the frilly knickers (calm down lads), with parts of the film focusing on the emotional conflicts involved with her job as a nurse at Newcastle hospital.

Nothing too major happens but the film is enjoyable if looked upon as an accurate insight into the life of a professional footballer. All in all I would say this film was slightly better than the first, simply for the glut of football stars on view and the amount of on-field action.

This film should appeal to the football fan and non-fan alike - a good movie to snuggle down on the sofa with your beloved whilst cracking a few beers and the popcorn.

Goal 3 perhaps? Who knows?

Although I was biased towards the first movie as I am a Newcastle United fan, I felt let down by Goal! 2, not just that Munez had the audacity to leave the Toon for Real Madrid, but due to the poor direction, plot and screenplay of the sequel.

The first movie, although far from perfect, had its moments, a lively screenplay, absorbing direction and a fairly tidy plot, Goal!2 on the other hand, was found wanting in all of these areas.

The plot felt far-fetched and desperate, and the cinematography amateurish, I found the film entertaining but not absorbing, I'm sure I will watch Goal! 3 pure for a sense of personal closure rather than because of excited anticipation.

Not a classic by any means, but at least, in comparison to the first one (Goal!), a more accomplished film.

The game scenes were not as contrived as in the first movie, hardly surprising since some of the clips were straight off real matches.

Becker did not look out of his depth in the company of the likes of Zidane, Roberto Carlos and David Beckham -- as long as he did not have the ball, that is. In a dressing room scene inside the Bernabeu, for instance, Becker's time on the ball in a jolly juggling scene was thankfully limited to one touch.

I guess it's too much to ask for an actor who had real football skills, and I guess that realization kept the cameras more focused on the 'real' football players in game situations. This added more to a sense of realism, as compared to the first movie when Becker was scene doing all sorts of fantastic things -- corny to a trained eye.

This movie's real merit comes from the way it handled the human element: Santi's head getting a tad too big from all the media attention and from being in the company of Real Madrid's galacticos; the lover's tiff with Roz, doubtless echoed in many a professional football player's life; and the surprise of finding he has a half-brother living in Spain along with the painful reunion with a long-lost Mother.

Dramatic without going overboard, and without losing touch with the primary plot that this is a professional footballer's story.

Just watched Goal 2 and must say it was fairly predictable in all areas of the movie. Although somewhat entertaining with some good football created by some world class footballers, the story doesn't really turn any interesting corners. When you link it up with Goal, it begins with a talented player who makes good with Newcastle and finally becomes a star with some interesting scenes thrown in. In Goal 2 the obvious occurs, star player goes to a bigger club, gets caught up in the good life, loses his girl, gets injured, works hard and comes back to please everyone. Would I recommend this Movie? Yes and No.... The football is not bad and its interesting to see Beckam and company strut their stuff off and on the field but you would have thought they would have come up with a better storyline rather than churn out the same old stuff.

By the way, you don't see too many movies finish with a "to be continued" Scary stuff!

Just saw Goal 2 earlier today, opening day across the UK. I must say that it was a solid sequel to the first, which I enjoyed thoroughly. Anyone who liked the first Goal movie should enjoy this. It continues the story of Santiago who gets transferred to mega-team Real Madrid in the opening sequences and follows his new life in Spain. Massive paychecks and beautiful women begin to get to Santi's head and we see a darker, perhaps weaker side of our hero in this chapter. All the main characters from the first Goal have roles in the sequel as well as cameos by superstars like Zidane, Ronaldo, Raul and Beckham. Solid sequel that is recommended to all fans of the original! If you haven't seen Goal yet, you should catch that before seeing part 2.