Die Wilden Kerle 2, aka The Wild Soccer Bunch 2, is popular in Germany, and maybe there it is family friendly. Maybe you have to be raised in Germany and understand German fairy tales to appreciate this movie. I thought I had accidentally switched channels to a nightmare sequence in a Fellini movie.
A tomboyish girl, who plays on a boys team of 12 year old “wild things” (wilden kerle), is romanced away by the leader of a band of skateboarding goths. He wants to sacrifice the boys team to the witch he worships. But a wilden kerle teammate woos her back so they can beat a national team and build their own soccer stadium in a junkyard.
This movie is the 2nd of 5 films based on the eponymous 14-volume childrens book series by Director Joachim Masannek. He wrote the books while coaching his sons.
Seems very inappropriate to me
I think some Americans would find this movie inappropriate and somewhat leering towards young boys (they are all incredibly handsome children). They (and the girl) start off the movie by urinating on a wall. Before the big game, the skateboarders steal their uniforms so die wilden kerle have to play in just their undershorts. The goalie is completely pantsed during a save. At the end of the credits, die wilden kerle boys all moon the movie audience.
I thought it was weird that the ending credit had grateful words of appreciation from the parents of the actors for including their children in the film.
I realize that Germany has a more relaxed attitude towards nudity. When I was in Munich for WC 2006, we saw that the natives go nude sun-bathing by the stream in the park. But I’m not going to try to watch the rest of this franchise, as it feels like exploitation. I’m really posting this review to warn other soccer parents.
1 Soccer Movie Mom Rating = 1
Resources:
- Release Date: 2005-02-17 (Switzerland)
- In German with English subtitles
- German title is Die Wilden Kerle 2
- English title is The Wild Soccer Bunch 2
- IMDB
- Director: Joachim Masannek
- Watch the Trailer in German
