Review of Murderball (2005) by Max W — 01 Jul 2007

Let it be known that this may be the first time I went to a movie by myself. Everyone's at Christmas Fest or somewhere better... so I thought I'd take in a documentary in Viking. I always thought I should try going by myself, seeing how it feels to watch a movie with no one there to react against. This is the way I love to watch controversial movies, or movies that no one else cares to see, but then I become in love with (i.e. Dogville and Happiness this summer).

I think it's harder to critique documentaries than straight films, no matter what. First of all, because if I said it didn't interest me, I would pretty much be saying, in this situation, that the plight of quadraplegic rugby players wasn't interesting to me, and therefore I would sound insensitive or bastardly. This was not the case: although I had no real firm interest in physically handicapped sports teams before, I do after having seen Murderball. Then comes the question: do I care because the film made me care with its portrayal of characters and use of cinematic technique, or do I care because I saw a movie about it and thus feel like not caring still would seem insensitive? See my dilemma?

Then comes the question of documentary versus drama, and where does it cross the line? This doc was about the United States Quadripalegic Rubgy Team, yes, but it also seemed at times a sort of therapy for all involved making the movie. The fanatic once-USA-team-player-turned-bitter-spiteful-coach-for-Canada melts into supportive dad at his son's orchestra concert, but why? Is it important that we see him soft and warm so the entire country of Canada isn't demonized? I could also say with relative safety that there isn't another film with the same subject matter against which to compare this one, so there is another obstacle in critique. Documentaries are meant to inform, but they must also hold our attention, so it can't just be facts. But this wasn't filled with that much new information after the first half-hour and basically followed their plight in a way akin to ABC Movies of the Week. The difference here, I suppose, is that you'd never hear a bunch of guys in wheelchairs chatting amiably with a woman about their post-traumatic sexual abilities on primetime television.

If all this seems interesting, it's because it is, and it did hold me, and when the outcome is reached, I felt for the team and we, the audience, lived and died with them. And I suppose, if nothing else, that made it pretty great.