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.