Ahoy, squirts! Quint here with regular AICNer MiraJeff who wants everybody to see MURDERBALL... at least everybody in the limited release cities... I have heard nothing but positives about this documentary. From people in the industry, film fans, critics... everyone loves it. Putting it another way, with 40 reviews in on RottenTomatoes, none are negative. That's right, it has a 100% fresh rating. I'm really looking forward to catching it myself. In the meantime, we have MiraJeff's review. Enjoy!
Hey gang, MiraJeff here with AICN's final (I think) review of Murderball, the amazing documentary about quadriplegic rugby players that everyone and their mother should see as soon as possible. This is a film about the power of the human spirit. It is about tragic experiences shared by men and their collective search for redemption through competition. It is a story about shattering expectations and redefining limits. Above all, it is a film about hope. What is possible for those who have it and what happens to those who lose it.
I knew Murderball wouldn't be what I expected when the film opened with a Metallica ambush and some intense trash-talking, mainly courtesy of Joe Soares, the film's main character and a former top-ranked quad rugby player who lead the U.S. team to several world championships. After getting too old to keep up with the younger guys on the court, he defected to Canada to coach their men's team and get revenge on the US team that told him he wasn't good enough for them anymore. Soares is a fascinating man and lives to compete in any way, shape, or form. As hard as he pushes his players, he pushes his son, Robert, even more. Though Robert makes straight A's on his report card, he isn't athletic, and Joe has difficulty accepting that fact. Their unique relationship speaks to the core of the film. The protagonist on the USA side is Mark Zupan, a ferocious competitor and the heart, soul, and spokesperson for Team USA. Zupan was critically injured in a car accident that his best friend was responsible for, driving while drunk. The film touches on their fractured relationship and the pain and guilt that they share. Other players recollect the incidents that left them in wheelchairs, including fist fights, shoot-outs, medical diseases, and a motorbike accident. The courage that these men exhibit is a testament to their sheer will and determination.
To keep things light, Murderball also shows us glimpses of the players' personal lives and their individual ways of coping with their disabilities. Every stereotype about quads gets turned on its head as we see them living healthy, normal, full lives. Most of the guys have very positive attitudes and keep upbeat by playing practical jokes on each other (one legless player hides beneath a box to scare people) and discussing their sex lives in a segment that's pretty funny. The guys also go out of their way to tell the audience that quad rugby is nothing like the Special Olympics, where there are no winners and losers and everyone gets a hug. These guys mean business. They're playing to win and to earn the respect of their country.
Directors Henry Alex Rubin and Dana Adam Shapiro, along with producer Jeffrey Mandel, have crafted a brilliant film about subject matter that some people might find uncomfortable. The people featured in Murderball know the true definition of what it means to persevere. They live every moment with a balls-to-the-wall intensity that is truly an inspiration to everyone who sees this film, handicapped or not. Murderball is an emotional triumph that left me in tears, with a huge smile plastered on my face. If this film doesn't get an Oscar nomination, the Academy should be shut down for bad taste. If Johnny Depp can get a nod for "Pirates," these filmmakers deserve a gold statue and then some. Bravo!
If you AICN readers are looking to go to the movies this weekend and you don't want to sit through hours of mediocrity (Fantastic Four, Dark Water), then support this gem of a movie, or another great independent feature that debuts this week, The Beautiful Country. You can read my review for that film by clicking on the Tribeca Film Festival link on AICN's main page. I'll be back in the coming weeks with reviews of 9 Songs and The Devil's Rejects. Til then… pray for the kid with the name Toshiro Lucas McWeeny and Mazel Tov to Mori.
