Murderball (2005)

Very Cool!!!

Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning A documentary following the real-life exploits of a group of men in wheelchairs who compete in a wheelchair version of rugby. The film follows the men's lives, as we learn about how they ended up in the wheelchairs and follow the build up to their training and the fierce determination they display when it comes to the final competition.There have been plenty of sports documentaries, but Murderball is in a league of it's own. Here we are presented with a bizarre sport, aimed at disabled people, basically a form of rugby where the competitors slam into each other's wheelchairs, tustle for possession of the ball and compete to score as many points as possible.The film spends a lot of time focusing on the men involved, and we see how angry and aggressive they all are (whether this is all to do with the hand fate's dealt them we're not sure) but also how hard they try to talk and act like they could walk as possible and how most of the none disabled people around them try to make life the same for them as well. There are moments of vulnerability, namely when one competitor loses his composure for a minute describing a dream in which he can fly, but this just shows their human side and that can't be a bad thing.But what really sets Murderball apart from most of the other documentaries I've seen is it's intense, high-energy style. This isn't your standard talking heads documentary, this zooms in almost entirely on the athletes involved, following them around in their daily lives during the build up to the big game, really getting to know them as people. But the actual sports scenes are what makes the film come alive, playing like coverage of your average American basketball game with the camera zooming in on the players and getting up close and personal during the intense sports action.A refreshingly different take on the modern documentary, showing us people throwing the odds to the skies and going for their dream with every ounce of fire and attitude as they can muster. ****

The power of the mind is an amazing thing; for those possessing it, no obstacle is insurmountable; but for those lacking it, any roadblock is deterring. Fortunately, the subjects of the documentary "Murderball", are blessed with the former. It's just as well, as they are all quadraplegics.The participants featured (Mark Zupian, Joe Bishop, Andy Cohn, Scott Hogsett, David Willsie) all play "Murderball", otherwise known as Wheelchair or Quad Rugby. While there are no rucks or mauls to be seen, Murderball instead features the finesse and skill of basketball, and the brutality of Ice Hockey or American Football.With four players per team on court, they combine to transport the ball over the opposition's goal line, with each goal worth a point. This documentary focuses on the USA and Canadian teams; starting from the 2002 World Championships in Sweden, where Canada defeated the USA 25-24 in overtime (ending their run of eleven consecutive championships), and to the lead up of the 2004 Paralympics in Greece. These two dominant forces eventually meet again in the Paralympic semi-final, with the winner advancing to the gold medal playoff, while the best the loser can hope for is an inglorious bronze. The USA and Canadian teams have held a long and bitter rivalry, especially considering Bishop (a victim of childhood polio) after playing in the USA's 1996 gold medal triumph in Atlanta, was cut after a loss of form, then defected to take up the Canadian coaching job. Accused of betraying his country, Bishop shows no remorse for his decision, but, ifanything, renewed hatred for the United States. Having led Canada to a dramatic World Championship victory, then losing by a goal in the Paralympics qualifying tournament, Bishop is desperate to defeat the USA again. In other hands, "Murderball" could have been an overly sentimental film. While themes of self-belief and courage upon adversity resonate, it's done in such a matter-of-fact way, that it doesn't feel preachy. The closest the film gets to sentimentality is in recounting Zupian's accident, injured in the back of a pick-up truck by his friend Christopher Igoe, who was drunk at the time. After long periods of avoiding each other, Zupian and Igoe eventually make up. While it could have been easy for Zupian and company to succumb to a life of self-pity and financial handouts, they prove they're just as tough, if not tougher, than most able-bodied athletes. They talk frankly about their accidents and attempting to resume a normal sex life. This comes across in the Murderball matches themselves. The on-court brutality is magnified by the fact, having been to hell and back, the players have no fear about getting injured.The great thing about 'Murderball' is it avoids the usual emotional manipulation of most films about serious disabilities in favour of a more grounded view. That alone is worth watching it for.

Tonight I finally made time to watch the incredible documentary Murderball - a truly exceptional film. Through the introduction of action, conflict, and tension, the directors and editors compose a telling film that transcends athletes and disability. Murderball also blends an almost perfect three act structure with a natural arc for each character as well as the overall story. Not only is this film a hard-core doc packed with unfolding drama and arrogant and funny characters/people, it is also a surprise to anyone with stereotypes about disabled athletes. Despite the machoism and crude behavior of many of the people in the film, the documentary is as honest as I've seen in a few years. You don't have to like the characters to love the story. The film-making crew deserves every credit and reward that has resulted from this film. Kudos!

Murderball is a sport otherwise known as Wheelchair / Quad Rugby. Played by quadriplegics, it is a 4 on 4 rugby game on wheels, which requires plenty of strength, speed, and that armoured wheelchair which almost doubles as a kind of bumper car as the sportsmen battle it out for supremacy on a regular basketball court.This documentary showcases the game from both the points of view of Team USA and Team Canada, highlighting the intense rivalry between them, with Team Canada inheriting a disgruntled ex-Team USA star player Joe Soares, who's now their head coach. Naturally when you have someone who knows your team strategy and know it inside out, is a cause for concern, as Team USA seeks to continue its winning streak, with new star player Mark Zupan in its fold.But it's not just about the game, or just the preparation for the Paralympic Games in Athens 2004. In its compact 85 minutes, we get introduced to the key players like Zupan, and go behind the scenes to see what makes them tick, as well as their backstories on how they have become confined to a wheelchair. Not everyone is born without limbs, and for most, it's usually an accident, or a disease. Family ties are given equally adequate screen time, as support for these folks, as do any other sporting professional, is as important, especially after facing a huge loss while representing the country.It's a bit hilarious as they account for the stares and innocent requests of help extended to by strangers, and you've got to salute these guys' strength, independence and confidence that comes with the sport. Besides the game, they do go around the country to inspire others who have recently suffered the same predicament of being in a wheelchair, to advise that it's not a lost cause.And while they reminisce about how they had to adjust to their condition, I suppose the common question they all had was, does their woody still work. And surprisingly, it's this curiosity amongst chicks that actually assist them in snagging them, ha! But light hearted moments aside, it's almost always never easy in picking life back up again, as everyone harbours the dream that one day, they will walk again.For those who have followed the team's exploits in the previous Athens Olympic Games, will already know the outcome of the game. Done in MTV styled quick cuts with adrenaline pumping music, the games shown in the documentary don't bore. But as the cliché goes, it's never about the destination, but about the journey. Best wishes to all the athletes competing in Beijing 2008!