Review of Battle of the Sexes (2017) by Wayne K — 23 Jan 2018

A thoroughly entertaining film which looks at one of the most noteworthy confrontations in sports history, Battle Of The Sexes is not only a story of overcoming personal difficulties and succeeding against all odds, it's also a powerful statement for equality and fair representation.

In a time when women were not only marginalised but also denigrated in the sports world for simply being women, Billie Jean and her cohorts demonstrate that they are a force to be reckoned with. It's well acted by its talented cast and paced in such a way that you can always follow the story without every feeling like its dragging, and the climactic tennis match manages to be tense and exciting, despite the end result not being in question for a moment.

The relationship between Billie Jean and Marilyn is grossly watered down for cinematic purposes, since what played out in real life would detract from the narrative and could easily be a movie in itself.

But the film is focused on the feud between King and Riggs, Women's Lib and shameless chauvinism. All said and done, Battle Of The Sexes does what it sets out to do: Defend and elevate the role of women in sport, and show that your gender does not define your abilities.