Just don’t get in their way.
Murderball (2005) isn’t a jaunt into a fevered, science-fictionish sport, but instead the nickname for quadriplegic rugby. This documentary delivers an intense, informative jolt of experience and emotion involving a game virtually without rules, its culture, and the quadriplegics who play it – from the novices who cannot believe that their tragic accident isn’t going to keep them out of competitive sports, to the top level competitors who train rigorously and compete in leagues in order to qualify for the Paralympics, all while having fun – hopefully.
Along the way we meet a number of them up close and personal, such as former top level competitor, now coach, Joe Soares, and the charismatic Mark Zupan. But it’s not just the game itself, but how they conduct their lives that we get to see.
And it’s fascinating. It’s hard to find mistakes in this documentary. Maybe it would have benefited from a bit more in-depth exploration, but honestly I think it’s one of the finer documentaries I’ve seen.
