Rise (II) (2022) User Reviews

If I weren't...

[bob_katsionis · 7/10 · 12 July 2022]

... Greek and proud as f for this family and if I weren't a sports fan, I would think that it was a terrible movie.

Everything screams Disney from miles away.

The colors, the light, the filming were so off-putting. Acting was barely OK, dialogues were cheesy AF, no wonder the last 2 minutes with the real footage and the story of the family were the highlight.

A missed opportunity, but don't get me wrong, Yannis and his family wanted to do this and I hope it inspires a lot of kids around the world (who probably can't afford Disney+ but that's another story) RIP Charles, it was nice to hear your story.

I'm a bucks fan-

[bnowak · 6/10 · 29 June 2022]

And I love, love real rags to riches stories.

It's Disney. It's cheesy and if you don't follow basketball then you probably don't care.

If I didn't love this family and what they did, I probably wouldn't care either. Excited to watch a more gritty and real documentary on this.

But this is perfect to watch with my 5 year old as we talk about persistence and perseverance.

Great as a biopic, not so much as an exciting film.

[Top_Dawg_Critic · 7/10 · 26 June 2022]

The Antetokounmpo's story is incredible, but the directing was lackluster, and even worse, Disney exhausted all the goodness out of the story by focusing more on wokeness.

The casting and performances were excellent by all, as was the cinematography and score. The pacing was slow, that the 113 min runtime dragged out. The story needed more content (and excitement), or a shorter runtime.

Overall if you're a sports fan and specifically an NBA and/or Giannis fan, this is a good one-time watch. As an exciting drama though, Hustle blows this one out of the water.

Great story

[srgymrat33 · 7/10 · 25 July 2022]

This is a really incredible story about some amazing athletes . The production value and film itself was not great - it felt slow and long at some points and didn't do a great job with many of the actual basketball elements .

I loved to learn more about the family , thought the dynamic in the family was great , worth a watch with the family as it is a feel good classic Disney sports movie that will leave you feeling inspired .

Enjoyable

[Maxax777 · 7/10 · 26 June 2022]

It's a heart warming true story which is really more about a family than basketball. That said - it picks up steam as you go - but it starts off a little slowly. Nonetheless, very enjoyable - it's a good heartfelt true story!

My Greek point of view

[relapsedrg · 10/10 · 3 July 2022]

I believe Gianni's Antetokounmpo life story deserved a much better movie. Better production, better script, better everything.

But I was overwhelmed by this movie. I cried.

It's totally genuine but with a much more ''happy atmosphere'' (Disney happy ) than in reality.

I live in Greece , I know from first hand the hard truth about immigrants and the political implications due to European Union policies.

I don't want to get political , but from anyone who needs to know :

''Why the kids that are born in Greece NEVER get citizenship ?'' please google : Dublin II Regulation Law from the EU.

Ten stars for Giannis. I'm really proud of him. He lived the hardest life in Greece, he became a Super star and he never got bitter.

He's amazing person. True role model for all of us.

Disney made a Christian movie?

[lestradedoyle · 7/10 · 26 June 2022]

American Underdog was good, but let's face it. There wasn't much faith in that movie. Rise actually shows more prayer and openness about faith in God. The family is exactly the kind you want to emulate, and the morals and values are exactly what you want your kids to learn. This is a beautiful film made with Nigerian actors and directed by a Nigerian Filmmaker. It is a great cross between independent films, and Disney's inspirational sports films. It's wholesome, enjoyable, and uplifting.

Amazing

[ColinTheGorilla · 8/10 · 25 June 2022]

This movie was great I loved hearing the story of the Antetkounmpo family. This story was amazing and so inspiring. I love this movie do much and recommend it to all.

10 over 10

[kislevadebola · 10/10 · 26 June 2022]

A great and inspiring film. Hard work pays. Stick to the person that is there for you when things are hard.

Haris with one R did great.

Charles never gives up, a responsible father and a hero in that family.

Bros

[jeroduptown · 7/10 · 3 July 2022]

Rise is a solid drama based on the Antetokounmpo brothers that made it through refugee discrimination, a broken home and the constant fear of deportation to all being in the NBA. It's straight-forward and has a great tone of discipline, courage and dedication.

A missed opportunity and a bit one sided...

[borg2004 · 5/10 · 30 June 2022]

The movie about the road of Giannis Antetokounpo to the NBA is not a very good one and you have the director and writer of the picture to blame. Giannis was born in Greece, he also went to school here and he is a native speaker.his accent is 100% greek. He has never been to Nigeria. He is aptly named the "greek freak" as we all know. Hiring a director from Nigeria who i m guessing has never been here other than to shoot the movie, riddles the film with prejudice and personal bias against the greek people.also, the writer is incapable of escaping black and white stereotypical characterizations probably because he only knows the usa version of things.they even go as far as to insult the country's history (saying that the greeks derive from africa and shango and zeus are the same.what???) and disregard humanitarian efforts from many official and unofficial channels here . It was because of Giannis' father great esteem for the greek educational system and culture that they stayed here and got greek names.they could have gone to other countries but they didn't. None of the facts that Giannis went to school here and that he had people helping him and his family to survive are mentioned or presented in any way.he did not just drop here , he had interactions which formed his personality.where are those? There are pictures and videos of this and giannis himself is grateful to Greece and the people here he calls friends. I love Giannis and he has always been an advocate of our country and is on the national team. But the film is lensed by a Nigerian who presents greeks as boogeymen for adhering to the law and has completely missed the beat of the country Giannis lived in and comes back to every summer.the most egregious scene is the racial slur in a game against Giannis. Giannis has many friends from those days and he is loyal to them as he is to the city of milwaukee.loyalty from giannis, probably one of his best qualities as a person, does not come through in this film.as far as the citizenship theme of the movie goes, one would expect at least a mention even at the end credits that the president of the greek democracy hosted the antetokoumpos and gave them passports etc (there is evidence of that online of course). If for nothing else to provide some closure. Instead of making it about how Giannis' case increased the efforts made on how to solve this problem in a legislative state in Europe, they stick to the "bad greek authorities" tirade. It would be so much better to treat Giannis' journey as a means to show how change has come about with regards to children citizenship when being born in an eu country. The story wobbles along without any real drama and lacks a scope and perspective that would transcend the actual facts to a lesson in human strength and tenacity. That is the missed opportunity really. I also find it unbelievable that the conditions they were living in were those presented.they were way worse. I get the fact that its a disney movie supported by nike (could you be more blatant Nike?) but they did a disservice to the true story and person Giannis and Thanasis really are. At the hands of a better writer and director this could have been better but it is not.

Enjoyable but expected better

[panicgeo-11447 · 6/10 · 5 November 2022]

Honestly I expected more for the first attempt for Yiannis' life on the big screen. There are good scenes of course showing the struggle the Antentkounmpo family had to go through but overall it feels flat. The music could work in another film but it feels strange in this one. I would have preferred Nigerian music. Most greek background actors have a US accent which again is odd. The scenes do not intertwine together. It feels like a bunch of scenes were put together to complete the film.

Don't get me wrong though, it is still a fun family film by Dinsey, but for me it lack passion and feeling. Can't believe I will suggest this (and hope at least a friend of mine won't ever read this) but Hustle (by Adam Sandler) is better.

Enjoyable but flawed

[cljf2 · 7/10 · 10 July 2022]

This was a v enjoyable if somewhat clichéd sports movie. Good performances from all the main actors. However, the fact that the younger siblings did not seem to age/grow over the film made the whole thing extremely unbelievable. For example, the NBA draft was in 2013 and Kostas and Alex looked exactly the same as they did more than '5 years' earlier.

Inspiring. . .

[byron-116 · 7/10 · 14 July 2022]

. . . and pretty straightforward bio of the Greek Freak from his childhood in Greece through his being admitted to the NBA Milwaukee Bucks. Although I am not a keen sports fan, I enjoyed watching RISE.

MVP

[alexbazelos · 8/10 · 24 June 2022]

If you are a fan of basketball and Giannis watch it. I enjoyed it very much. Cast was good. Some scenes wanted improve but in general it was a pleasure movie to watch.

Strong message for youngsters

[evangeso-87390 · 7/10 · 9 September 2022]

Very nice movie in whole, providing strong life messages. Saying that the movie does not show the interaction of the Antetokoumpo family with local people which had its significance especially for the kids of the family. It kind of not emphasizing enough the way local everyday people interacted, helped or even made it difficult for them. It gave me the idea that the family was "isolated" from the local society. Have in mind Yiannis and his brothers where born in Athens, lived, interacted with locals, went to school, had friends and faced difficulties besides basketball issues. I wanted to see more on that. In general it's a good Disney movie to watch with your kids and I suggest it!

Relatable Immigrant story / Shows what built these NBA brothers

[JoeVajijfe21 · 10/10 · 27 June 2022]

Very enjoyable movie to watch, great acting and storyline that is relatable to the stories of many immigrants. Does a fantastic job in showing the background of what foundation the Antetokounmpo brothers are built upon in their prospective NBA careers.

This is awesome

[bablo2532 · 10/10 · 25 June 2022]

Simply good excuted by Disney and Giannis family. This is why Disney is gonna overtake Netflix as streaming leader in a few years. Their production is just better than Netflix.

Great!

[AnnaPagrati · 9/10 · 21 July 2022]

Such a well-made and beautiful movie to watch! The story it depicts is so heart-warming, the performances were amazing! I was a part of it too, as an extra actress!

Movie for every family

[franklinarsenio · 10/10 · 28 June 2022]

This movie was great I loved hearing the story of the Antetkounmpo family. The movie is so inspiring, Charles is forever loved, he's the real definition of a father. Family is always everything for the Antetkounmpo. Giannis is a hero he made me love basketball now I'm a die hard fan of him. Love from Wisconsin. Let go bucks.

What a touching story

[ryanlion-38514 · 8/10 · 27 June 2022]

This gives you an inside look to Gianna's and his siblings and their story. It is such a well done story. It makes you feel like they did everything and more to get where they are. It is a great family film and very inspirational. I found it very moving and overall a great film. Go see it!

True and Reality

[panagiotisflo-78744 · 3/10 · 28 July 2022]

Lie: "Greek culture has its roots in Africa" Reality: The Nok civilization of Nigeria thrived between 1,500 BC and AD 200. Greece is home to the first advanced civilizations in Europe and is considered the birthplace of Western civilisation, beginning with the Cycladic civilization on the islands of the Aegean Sea at around 3200 BC, the Minoan civilization in Crete (2700-1500 BC), and then the Mycenaean civilization on the mainland (1600-1100 BC).

Great Movie!

[lammi · 10/10 · 28 June 2022]

What a refreshing movie. Thank you, Disney. This is what you are great at. "When you have a good parent, they help see the future for you." Brilliant!

Heartwarming, Inspirational Story About Family, Sacrifice, Love, And Basketball

[rannynm · 10/10 · 29 June 2022]

All rise for the heartwarming, inspirational biographical story of Giannis Antetokounmpo and his family! Rise is a story of family, sacrifice, love, and basketball. Perfect for the entire family, the Antetokounmpo's story is sure to score in the hearts of viewers.

Rise follows parents, Charles (Dayo Okeniyi) and Veronica (Yetide Badaki) Antetokounmpo, as they leave their home, and oldest son, in Nigeria due to immigration laws and head to Greece. There the couple struggles to find work and raise their children, Thanasis (Ral Agada), Giannis (Uche Agada), Kostas (Jaden Osimuwa), and Alexandros (Elijah Shomanke). Even though they are struggling to survive and dodging immigration, Giannis and Thanasis take up basketball for a local youth team. They find a passion for the sport and eventually are noticed by scouts, which starts their quest for the NBA ... but not without still playing defense against deportation, racism, and laws preventing them from getting work permits.

While the movie focuses on the rise of the Antetokounmpo brothers, the entire family is the star of this film. Everyone makes sacrifices in order for Giannis to get drafted into the NBA, which opened doors for his brothers. Every day leading up to the 2013 NBA draft is a challenge to avoid deportation. One wrong move can expose them and send everyone back to Nigeria. The film is an emotional rollercoaster as you follow the Antetokounmpos' journey from Nigeria to Greece to the NBA. My favorite aspect of the movie is seeing all the sacrifices each family member made for the overall goal. I enjoyed the old-school and hip-hop songs, which will draw in audiences of all ages. The camera angles also help engage viewers and give a close up understanding of the family.

Rise is all about family and sacrifice. The family shows what you can accomplish when everyone sticks together. Throughout the film, we see how Charles Antetokounmpo constantly reminds his children that "if one scores, then they all score." He instills in them the value of family and how they can't make it by themselves. Considering that Giannis, Thanasis and Kostas became the first trio of brothers to win championships in NBA league history, I would say they understood the assignment.

Rise is not just for basketball fans ... it's the perfect family movie that is just the inspiration we all need to keep pushing forward. I give Rise 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for kids ages 10 to 18, plus adults. Rise tips off on Disney+, June 24, 2022.

By Tiana S., KIDS FIRST!

Congratulations!

[Happy3802 · 10/10 · 24 June 2022]

Congats to the Antetokounmpo family! I have no words, we all have heard their story! Great cast, songs, and greek dub! I am also glad that they did the most of the movie in Greece! Much congrats, Disney+!!!