Murderball: a hell of a game

"Murderball" is a documentary about the Quad Rugby Paralympic team. Injured by accidents or birth defects, the team plays one of the most brutal and intense sports around, able-bodied or not. Divided into teams of 12, Quad Rugby players use all their upper body strength as they maneuver their Mad Max-styled wheelchairs against each other. Part soccer, part rugby, and part demolition derby, the game earns the nickname "murderball." As one player mentions, they don't get a pat on the back just for showing up. Instead, they get crashed into and thrown to the floor.\nThe documentary showcases the U.S. Paralympic team as it deals with the aftermath of losing the 2002 World Title and preparations for the rematch in Athens, Greece. But because their ability to play the game comes at such a cost, the players are the stars of the documentary. "Murderball" has all the interesting characters from a regular sports documentary. There's the former star player, too old to play, but still with plenty of fight, who is cut from the American team and retaliates by coaching the team's Canadian rivals. There's the brash and arrogant star player who, on the side, helps recent quadriplegics through the pain of losing control of their limbs. There's the quiet member who feels he needs to make up for costing his team the game in 2002. There's the recently injured motocross star who finds a reason for living trying out for murderball. Each individual is treated as an individual instead of as a poster child for disabilities.\nOn the special features side of the disc, there's plenty for a small documentary. However, a lot of content is reused from the film. There's the hour-long interview with five members of the team from "Larry King Live" concerning the stereotypes about the disabled. Both the filmmakers and the players offer their own brands of commentary on the film, in very different manners. Oddly enough, there's an MTV special with the cast of "Jackass" about the movie's premiere. Somewhere on the Internet, there's supposedly a clip of Team "Jackass" versus Team "Murderball," but that's not included on the disc. Instead, it's just the "Jackass" crew being jackasses with the team. \n"Murderball" is one of the year's most fascinating documentaries. While the rugby team's story is inspiring, it's not as saccharine as the viewer would expect. For those looking for a different take on the sports film or for those interested in rising up after disaster, "Murderball" is definitely the right game.