When I decided to start revealing my failings with Oscar nominees I hadn’t seen yet, I remembered having seen a certain title on the list for Peacock, and I knew what I was watching. Somehow, despite the fact that the majority of the described content on Peacock does not predate the streaming service, even with their own content, and even with titles that have known audio description, Murderball has audio description. It’s not a Universal or Focus release, it is 20 years old, and a documentary I’m sure isn’t climbing their ratings ranks. However, this nominee qualifies. Yes, nominee. It did not win the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature.

Murderball is a great name, and it’s basically wheelchair rugby. but we aren’t just watching some guys in rehab mode playing some sports to get their spirits up. These athletes are brash, unapologetically so, and compete in the Paralympics for Team USA. I learned so much during this film that didn’t even relate to being in a wheel chair. i didn’t know the Paralympics followed the Olympics almost immediately. They use the same facilities. I now am more educated. I just might treat myself.

The audio description does some really nice work of blending with what I’ll call a moderately intrusive voyeuristic documentary. Sure, they know there’s a film happening, and they talk to the camera, but the filmmakers are mostly there to capture the action. It’s very much not a talking head documentary, so there’s plenty of description. I knew who the main athletes were and I could follow their stories.

In case anyone stumbles in here from Murderball, you might have seen me just mention audio description. So, as a blind person, I related so much to the idea that people treated you like a miracle all of inspiration just for daring to leave the house every day. Sometimes, I feel that. I also feel the people who avoid me, because blind people must be weird. RIP to like 80% of my old friends. So, when I tell you your documentary is amazing, it isn’t because you’re in a wheelchair. It’s because you are unapologetically proving your athleticism and this film captured you doing so. I felt this was an honest portrayal, that explained wheelchair rugby, and did so without feeling incredibly patronizing.

And it is accessible to my audience. Which means I can thankfully grade this.

Final Grade: A