Review of Murderball (2005) by Scott C — 27 Jul 2009
What starts out as a profile of a few rather over-the-top thrill-seeking quadriplegics quickly turns into an extremely engaging documentary.
The opening moments were tough for me, though, mostly because we've got a few wheelchair-bound athletes who say things like, "Yeah, I'll punch you in the face, I don't care that I'm in a wheelchair," and all I could think was: You're a dick, and I don't care if I'm saying that to a guy in a wheelchair. There's nothing I hate more than people who crave "extreme sports" and talk trash to people who lead productive lives...
But "Murderball" uses this opening approach mainly to challenge us as viewers, and soon we see how vulnerable and human these young men are, and how courageous they can be to push their battered bodies to such limits. The film also functions as a tutorial on the world of wheelchair athletics, and on the everyday concerns and challenges of quadriplegics in general. Some parts are tough to watch, of course, but this is an important and emotionally involving movie.
This review of Murderball (2005) was written by Scott C on 27 Jul 2009.
Murderball has generally received very positive reviews.
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