I
don't need your pity.
"Murderball"
is an exemplary documentary following the lives
of quadriplegics who participate in the sport of
wheelchair rugby, a full contact and highly
aggressive sport that breaks stereotypes and
allows these men, from various backgrounds, to
claim a sense of normalcy and a sense of control
within their bodies.
The film turned Murderball player Mark Zupan
into a sort of celebrity with his uniquely good
looks and spirited personality allowing him to
become a regular on the talk show circuit and in
appearances around the country.
As written and directed by Henry Rubin and Dana
Shapiro, Murderball is a celebration of life and
an inspirational story as these men follow their
dreams of playing in the Paralympics in Greece.
The film works best because it combines the
scenes of the sport with the stories of the
lives of these men. We learn about their
stories, their successes, their struggles, their
loves and their dreams. We follow those quads
who are simply trying to adjust to their
newfound bodies and we follow those who have
been quads for years. Some are fierce
competitors, while others use the sport as a
sort of therapy.
The film is graphic in its tone, language and
approach to sexuality and it's refreshing to see
a film openly deal with these subjects and those
individuals living with disability.
A bit of a disappointment at the box office, "Murderball"
was destined to be a hard sell. It deals with
the challenging topic of disability, the unknown
sport of rugby and blows apart the often
portrayed "innocent" and stereotypical image
that movies so often like to play with
individuals who live with physical challenges.
These men are challenged, but you'd be
hard-pressed to call them disabled. They live,
love, learn, play, work and fuck live everyone
else. "Murderball" is a celebration of the human
spirit and a testimony of the power of the human
body to adapt and heal. Deeply humor, tender,
touching, spirited, inspirational and powerfully
authentic...Murderball is a winner!
©
Written by Richard Propes
TC Candler's Comment
n/a
Jacob
Hall's Comment
n/a
