Murderball (2005)

Quadriplegic athletes compete in a fierce form of rugby known as Murderball. Two rival teams from America and Canada respectively go head to head in Athens, Greece for the gold medal in a major championship match.Directors Henry Alex Rubin and Dana Adam Shapiro vividly capture the amazing strength, humor, and humanity of a remarkable bunch of men who include the fearsome and aggressive Mark Zupan, the recently disabled, but determined Keith Cavill, the soulful Bob Lujano, easygoing blonde hunk Andy Cohn, likable Scott Higsett, and bitter Canadian team coach Joe Soares, who becomes a better and more caring father and person after suffering a heart attack. Moreover, Rubin and Shapiro show an obdurate and admirable refusal to sentimentalize their subjects: These tough, scrappy, and resourceful fellows elicit and deserve respect instead of pity for the courage and resilience they show in the face of adversity and offer proof positive that a disability can be effectively surmounted through sheer force of will alone. Better still, this film covers everything from the grueling training sessions to the brutal and harrowing games to the reality of these men's sex lives with refreshing candor and straightforwardness. An extraordinary testament to the triumph of the human spirit.

In Alan Clarke's memorable movie SCUM (1979), the inmates of a young person offender's prison play Murderball on a basketball court. A game sans any real rules, it provides the chance for them to vent their frustrations through legitimized violence: anything goes, apparently.Filmed in the early years of this century, Henry Alex Rubin and Dana Adam Shapiro's documentary makes similar claims for the game of wheelchair rugby. Also played on a basketball, the game offers the chance for young quadriplegics to express their aggressive instincts in a sport that might have its own set of rules but seems extremely violent, much more so than rugby for able-bodied players.The action follows the fortunes of the American team, which had won most of the major tournaments prior to the film's beginning, but failed to win the World Championship held in Gothenburg, Sweden in 2002. The film examines the team's preparations for the Athens Paralympics two years later, while profiling the struggles of many team members to deal with their disability as well as learn how to become successful members of a match-winning unit.We have to admire the sheer dogged persistence of many of the young men featured in the documentary, as they negotiate the almost daily struggles to maintain their self-esteem, as well as improving their rugby abilities through training. Success is essential for any team; but perhaps more so for the wheelchair rugby unit. What the players achieve over the time-period covered by the film is, quite simply, wonderful.And yet, and yet ... The film also shows the subjects trying to conform to the aggressively masculine identities associated with rugby players: tough, uncompromising, sexist. Anyone who has played the game to any standard knows that such stereotypes are found everywhere. Yet rugby has evolved a lot over the last two decades: sophisticated training methods have discovered the importance of less aggressive behavioral forms, for example, trying to understand the opposition's psychology without trying to bash the living daylights out of them. Players have now been encouraged to look into themselves and admit their shortcomings in public, or (better still) acknowledge their sexualities. That does not make them any less brilliant on the field; in fact, such strategies can even improve their performance. What spoils MURDERBALL is the directors' reluctance to think of rugby as anything else other than a violent, aggressively male sport. It isn't; women's rugby is as popular both for able-bodied as well as disabled players. As Clint Eastwood's film INVICTUS (2009) has also shown, it is a game whose significance extends far beyond the field, as it becomes a means by which individuals can deal with trauma. Would that MURDERBALL had taken a little time out from its obsession with violence and examined that aspect of the game.

Murderball is a documentary that tells the story of several Quad Rugby players. This documentary takes us on a journey with the American Quad Rugby team and their mission to once again take gold medal at the paraplegic Olympics. This movie is completely different from what you would expect when you hear about it. This movie tells the stories of many of these men and their journey of how they became paraplegic and got involved with the Quad Rugby team. This film focuses on overcoming your disabilities and making the best out of your life. These men tell about how people react to them in public places and how they feel when people say things to them such as "It's good to see you out today." People do not realize that these men are just as strong, healthy, and fit as they are. One theme that is reoccurring in this film is the idea of making the best out of your life. These men have gone through some really tough events in their lives and are still able to accomplish daily activities. This film conveys the message that whatever situations you are going through in your life, it can be overcome. This message is clearly conveyed through the stories told about these men. The film was edited in a very appealing way. The way it was edited, we were taken on a journey of the lives of these men. We followed them through their daily lives and learned of their daily troubles and hardships. The music was used to show emotion and build up suspense within the storyline. The music used in this film and editing style used are very effective in conveying the thoughts and themes that director wished to show. The director of this film, Henry Alex Rubin, is slowly creating a name for himself in the film industry. Another famous film of his is Who is Henry Jaglom? This film shows the story of a man creating and working on various films. The film showed a picture of his life and created a real image of this filmmaker. This style seems to be the normal style for Rubin. In Murderball he uses the same technique to show the lives of the rugby players. Rubin worked with MTV to film Murderball for its release in July of 2005. Mark Zupan is the main character of this film. The film tells the story of when he was 18 and passed out drunk it the bed of his friend's truck. Without knowing he was there, his friend left a party and got in a wreck on this way home. Zupan was thrown out of the truck and into a creek where he was forced to fight for his life. That night, he lost his legs. Since this tragic experience Zupan has had to learn how to live without using his legs. In the film you are also able to see Zupan reunite with his friend that was driving the truck and overcome an emotional battle within him. Murderball was an exceptional movie and tells a great message about making the best out of the life you are given.

One has to take one's hat off to the creators of this amazing documentary. Henry Alex Rubin and Dana Adam Shapiro deserve congratulations because what they have accomplished with the material they present in the film.The men we meet could have easily accepted the lemons life got them, but instead, they decided to make lemonade by getting involved in a brand new game for handicapped people that wouldn't otherwise be involved in any kinds of sports. "Murderball" is an intense physical activity for even healthy individuals. Many would have trouble practicing this form of competitive challenge the way most of the people do in the film.Everyone one meets show a determination not to be sidetracked by the injuries, or the events that changed their lives. They are to be commended because of their desire to make do with what destiny gave them and take it to a higher level of endurance that involves probably a lot of pain. These men prove to what extent their sheer will power made them adopt the sport that kept their competitive spirits alive."Murderball" should be seen by people who are facing difficulties because these men are a true inspiration in how one can get out of a dire situation to make something out of themselves.