Murderball (Review 2)

   Murderball is a documentary which partnered with MTV to tell the stories of the top of players of paralympic rugby from the United States. The film depicts the lives of these men and the people who care about them as they struggle with other people's preconceived notions about them based solely on their master status as "disabled". As they follow these men through their training, games, and personal stories, it quickly becomes apparent that one of the main messages of Murderball is that a wheel chair is not something which these men feels holds them back in their lives. Their abilities are different from the norm, but the suggestion that an able bodied man would not be able to match these players appears as a reality as these men smash into each other in their chariot-like chairs. This relates to social deviance because these men are identified as deviant and "less than" by society because of their wheelchairs or medical issues. They are living a life that is clearly not consumed by the stereotypical dream to walk or "be normal". 

   Mark Zupan's friends clarify that some people might think the accident gave him his abrasive attitude, but he's always been "grumpy" and the wheelchair doesn't hold him back from being who he is. We also see form US Champion turned Canadian coach Joe struggling to maintain family relationships and ignoring clear anger issues until he has a heart attack. It's after the heart attack Joe begins to build a relationship with his young son. His wheelchair doesn't make him particularly likable or kind they way most people in wheelchairs are portrayed on screen. It was disheartening to see people treating these men and women as special needs cases, asking if the paralympic team is the same special olympics and being generally offensive. It is eye-opening to learn the concept of a master-status, then see prime examples of it in action. 

   The main argument I see for this film portraying these men and woman as people, not wheelchairs, is the frankness with which all of the players spoke with. "I wouldn't piss on him to put him out if he was on fire." Words spoken by Mark Zupan about the now former Canadian coach Joe, really caught my attention as a raw, real anger that is seldom seen in characters like "Artie" from Glee. There is an inspirational story, but it's not the one I'm sure most people expect going into the film. (Spoiler) USA does not beat Canada, and we see Coach Joe have his victory. But the players are all real people, and the film creates a sense of familiarity with these men as human. Even if Mark Zupan is a grump, he still has the audience rooting for him in the end. Not because he's in a wheelchair and everyone wants him to "overcome the obstacles" but because he's still likable, funny and one part of a team that wanted to continue to win.