Murderball
Dream. Believe. Achieve.
Featuring fierce rivalry, stopwatch suspense, and larger-than- life personalities, Murderball, Winner of the Documentary Audience Award and a Special Jury Prize for Editing at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, is a film about tough, highly competitive rugby players. Quadriplegic rugby players. Whether by car wreck, fist fight, gun shot, or rogue bacteria, these men were forced to live life sitting down. In their own version of the full-contact sport, they smash the hell out of each other in custom-made gladiator-like wheelchairs. And no, they don't wear helmets.
From the gyms of middle America to the Olympic arena in Athens, Greece, Murderball tells the story of a group of world-class athletes unlike any ever shown on screen. In addition to smashing chairs, it will smash every stereotype you ever had about "gimps" and "cripples." It is a film about family, revenge, honor, sex (yes, they can) and the triumph of love over loss. But most of all, it is a film about standing up, even after your spirit - and your spine - has been crushed.
Member Reviews
Well worth the rent - Notsiskel
Being Canadian I didn't know it was invented in Canada...
Anyway, this movie is amazing and a great eye opener to paraolympic sports. The movie is entertaining and the bonus features are as well. If you are a fan of docs, this is well worth your time. The story is funny, gripping and eductional.Totally inspiring! - Lori
I had no idea what to expect but had heard great things about this documentary. Usually I am disappointed when I hear others speak highly of films but with this one, well it went above and beyond what I expected! The individual stories are so powerful - I am thankful that they were willing to share them so openly. I can't wait until my kids are a bit older so they can watch this and learn that a person is a person is a person - no matter what differences and that everyone has the ability to excel at something! now if only we could get some more tv coverage of the paralympics so we could follow these teams!Gritty Realism - legalwright
Murderball does what a good documentary should do - it widens our view of the world a little. Here the subject is quadraplegia and the phenomenon of wheelchair rugby ("murderball"). The film takes us on a journey into the lives of disabled atheletes and in so doing offers an examination into the wonders of the human spirit.
There is a gritty texture to much of this film. The two athletes featured most prominently, Mark Zupan and Joe Soares, have an intimidating menace about them, hinting of an unresolved anger beneath the surface. Their lot has not been an easy one and they bring this emotional force into the game of murderball.
While the movie follows the games of the athletes, it is really about the athletes themselves and how they have forged a life for themselves despite enormous obstacles. It isn't entirely pretty but it is very very real.
Member Reviews
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Well worth the rent - Notsiskel
Being Canadian I didn't know it was invented in Canada...
Anyway, this movie is amazing and a great eye opener to paraolympic sports. The movie is entertaining and the bonus features are as well. If you are a fan of docs, this is well worth your time. ...Totally inspiring! - Lori
I had no idea what to expect but had heard great things about this documentary. Usually I am disappointed when I hear others speak highly of films but with this one, well it went above and beyond what I expected! The individual stories are so powerful - ...Gritty Realism - legalwright
Murderball does what a good documentary should do - it widens our view of the world a little. Here the subject is quadraplegia and the phenomenon of wheelchair rugby ("murderball"). The film takes us on a journey into the lives of disabled atheletes and in ...