SparkMore n my opinion it was a great movie with some interesting elements, even though having some plot holes and the ending probably was just too messy and crammed together, but still fun to watch and not your casual movie that is similar to all other ones.

Lollivan It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Brennan Camacho Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

Ezmae Chang This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

l_rawjalaurence 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.

Jonathan Bradley Hunt Murderball dives into the intense and aggressive sport of wheelchair rugby and follows it's tough and gritty athletes. I found the stories of these amazing men to be truly inspiring and very meaningful. From Mark Zupan, the star player of the United States team and Joe Soares the former star of the United States team who is now head coach of team Canada to the newly injured Kevin Orr. These men are not interested in your pity.I absolutely loved how the directors of the films got into certain topics one would not expect to come up in a documentary about wheelchair rugby. This is something that made me enjoy this film on a whole other level. Due to this humorous and humanizing sequence of the film I was engaged even further. After watching the film I wanted to know more about these men and turned to Google!Henry Alex Rubin and Dana Adam Shapiro do an excellent job of structuring this film. I was very engaged in the lives of these people while also keeping in my mind the importance of the Paralympics they are preparing for. The back-story provided in the first portion of the film does a nice job of setting up the end.

amandapnda12 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.

balevanti Words couldn't have described how I felt after I first saw this film. Grant you I had seen this picture a grand total of ten views of the amazing "Murderball" in one week and I thought to myself, "I don't see anyone bitching, moaning complaining or feeling sorry for themselves. I was amazed at the competitive wrath that these men show. Mark Zupan has to be the most intense man I have seen in sports with his will to surpass all obstacles and do it in a way where he can come back to earth and show such a shy side when introducing youngsters and newcomers to the sport. For every cocky arrogant and ungrateful athlete in professional sports where they don't get their million dollar signing bonus, each of those athletes should be shown this film and see how bad their life could be. Maybe then would they know what hard work and devotion is. Yet then again, maybe they might still not understand.