Murderball
is an affecting and endlessly fascinating documentary that revolves around the
lives of a rare breed of wheelchair-bound quadriplegics who find meaning in life
thanks to rough and tumble sport called Murderball. The sport is kind of a cross
between Rugby and Basketball, officially recognized as Quad Rugby. Murderball
(the film) was conceived and directed by Henry Alex Rubin and Dana Adam Shapiro
who do an effective job of delving into the lives, loves and passions of these
incredibly resilient and inspiring men.
For
the most part the documentary focuses on two men - Mark Zupan, the most outspoken
and feared Murderballer for the American team; and Joe Soares, the most decorated
Quad Rugby player of all time who lead Team U.S.A. to world dominance for over
a decade, but was eventually cut from the American squad once his advanced years
began to catch up with him. Soares became so embittered by being cut form the
team he had essentially built that, not only did he sue the organization, but
would make the difficult decision to turn his back on his country to coach the
Canadian team. Under Soares tutelage, the Canadians soon became a team to be reckoned
with and a threat to the Americans perennial dominance of the international sport.
One
thing that the documentary certainly makes clear is that the sport itself is enormously
popular, not only is it the highlight of the Paralympic Games (which takes place
following each Olympiad) but it enjoys a huge following and the athletes on the
various international squads are celebrities in this ever-growing microcosm who
are pursued for autographs just like NBA stars. The documentary is well paced
and cuts effectively between the preparation and excitement for the major competitions,
and the private lives and back stories of it’s participants. Anyone who sees
this film will come away with a completely different perception of quadriplegic
individuals - it really is an eye-opener when you begin to understand that so
many of these victims of accidents and illnesses, do not consider themselves victims,
nor do they feel sorry for themselves, and the only time the concept of pity comes
into play is when it can be used to help get them laid. Aside from that they don’t
indulge it, and it is not only surprising but inspiring to witness how these guys
have overcome their various challenges and go about living their lives pretty
much like the rest of us.
Through
the use of interviews with the athletes, their girlfriends, buddies and families,
Rubin and Shapiro have fashioned a crisp, funny, touching and enormously entertaining
film. The R rating is well earned due to plenty of language as well as a look
at the sexuality of these quads. What these men lack in terms of the limitations
of their hands and limbs they more than make up for with their penises. To hear
their girlfriends accounts, it would appear that there is a fair amount of compensatory
prowess among these men. Murderball devotes some of it’s running time to
a discussion and demonstration of how these athletes are able to maintain a healthy
sex life. The women in the lives of these vital and robust men all seem remarkably
content.
Murderball
also explores some difficult relationships. Mark Zupan, for example was injured
when his best friend attempted to drive home after a party, unaware that Mark
had passed-out in the back of the truck. The accident catapulted Mark an estimated
25 yards into a canal, and since his friend, Chris Igoe, didn’t even know
Mark was aboard, he spent the night in the canal clinging to a tree branch, his
neck broken and his limbs never to regain their mobility. Their relationship suffered
as a result, and in one of the films more emotionally powerful scenes, Igoe is
invited to Athens, Greece for the games, where the two finally put to rest the
guilt and resentment that had left these lifelong pals estranged. On a sidenote,
Igoe had absolutely refused to take part in the film, but eventually relented
in order that his side of the story be accurately represented.
Joe
Soares is the other chief focus of the film, his story is undoubtedly compelling,
as his sour grapes of wrath lead him to the Great White North where he builds
a program that not only challenges the seemingly unbeatable Americans, but eventually
defeats them. The footage of these contests are intense and the filmmakers manage
to effectively capture the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, all brought
to a heightened level because of the expatriate Soares. The film spends a lot
of time with the Soares family, some of which seems a bit excessive, still that’s
really the only gripe I have with how Rubin and Shapiro have constructed their
film.
They do
make up for this slight lapse by including a perfect counterpoint story that really
helps to drive home the various themes of the film. By using the subplot of a
champion Motocross rider by the name of Keith Cavill, the film-makers are able
to show the long road ahead for victims of spinal injuries. We meet Keith after
his accident and follow him through his grueling rehabilitation and there are
some extremely poignant moments as he returns home after being hospitalized for
such a long period of time. The films most revealing sequence comes when Mark
Zupan happens to show up as a guest motivational speaker to one of the sessions
of Keith’s rehab group. Once the former Motocross champ gets a taste of riding
in Zupan’s battle modified Murderball chair, a light comes on in his eyes
that is perhaps the film’s most affecting moment. It’s all they can
do to get Keith out of the chair and from that day forth Keith sets his sights
on saving up money to purchase a Murderball chair and then earning a spot on the
exalted American team.
This
sequence really speaks volumes about the enormous challenge that quadriplegics
face, but mainly it demonstrates the resilience of the human spirit when this
challenge becomes a battle of the will to overcome the despair, the fear, and
the limitations in order to reclaim their lives and in so doing discover an inner-strength
that they may not even have known existed, before their accidents. Murderball
is an immensely informative, entertaining and emotionally satisfying film, that
along with New York Doll deserves Oscar consideration.
