Review of Murderball (2005) by Bill V — 09 Oct 2009

MURDERBALL, was the winner of the Documentary Audience Award and a Special Jury Prize for Editing at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. The film is about tough, rough around the edges, highly competitive quadriplegic rugby players. The men shown in the movie are on rugby teams who battle each other in custom-made wheelchairs. They compete for gold medals in a very rough and tumble sport and anybody with a working pair of eyes will see disability doesnâ??t keep them down.

I wasnâ??t too sure if I was supposed to be impressed MTV had something to do with the production. After I saw that, I was looking for a surface-y, too cool for you movie. What I did see was a documentary that succeeded with bringing the human element. (Although, honestly, I was wondering in the back of my mind if MTV was involved just to prove they are â??humanâ?? too; redemption.).

There was almost a contrived edginess at times as if these guys are supposed to be angry at the world; having something to prove to themselves, the world and all women. I wanted to get closer to these people but couldnâ??t seem to make it. Maybe itâ??s me because I donâ??t live life the way they do. So I am a little torn.

One thing I did like about the movie was the gutsiness I saw exhibited by the men. The deck is stacked against them and yet they made a go of it. We get to follow Team USA to Athens in 2004. They get the bronze losing to the Canadians who seemed to have a bit more energy. It ends a little too quick even with the accompanying vignettes.

All in all, the movie was average which may have been a disability introduced by the presence and production input of MTV.