Engaging and entertaining documentary providing insight into the world of Strongman competitions. Well-made and surprisingly enjoyable. As someone who doesn't follow Strongman I was not expecting to find the movie so interesting. The viewer gets to shadow man-mountain Eddie Hall (Strongman competitor) over a period of three years. My wife has been known on numerous occasions to stop watching movies and so it is a testament to how well this film has been made that she was not only fixed to the screen throughout but laughing out loud on a number of occasions. An 8 out of 10 may seem mean but movies never get a 10 from me. An 8 is outstanding considering I was anticipating a 5.
6 Reviews
Enlarged Heart
witster1826 December 2016
"Eddie - Strongman" is a fine documentary that succeeds on many levels, but is driven by the flamboyance, dedication, and sensitivity of it's main character.
The film could have elevated into 10/10 territory with a little more of Eddie's background and a little more background on Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England.
In terms of showing the softer side of the man, and the harder side of strongman competition and training, the film is truly amazing. It's an intimate albeit somewhat incomplete look into its' lead character. We know he has inner-demons but the film doesn't really dive-into that information/history, and it's that information and more background on the area where he's from, that are the only things holding this film back from true greatness. It's still a good movie. The film exceeded expectations and tugs at the heartstrings of the viewer. It also catapulted into my top-25 for 2015(16). I wasn't expecting that by any means.
I recommend "Eddie - Strongman" for anyone, and especially for those movie- buffs seeking a good recent documentary that had seemingly fallen through the cracks for me. I saw this on Netflix on Christmas Day 2016, and decided to give it a whirl. The wife and I liked this documentary.
Eddie Hall is quite the character, but he also seems like a genuine, and genuinely nice guy, despite his brash competition persona.
Check this out!
79/100 SOlid! You'll Like This if You Liked: King of Kong(awesome, a touch better than ES), I Hate Christian Laettner/30 for 30(about even, also very good). I've only ranked 565 of 4300 films an 8 or better. In other words - it's in the top 13% of everything I've rated.
The film could have elevated into 10/10 territory with a little more of Eddie's background and a little more background on Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England.
In terms of showing the softer side of the man, and the harder side of strongman competition and training, the film is truly amazing. It's an intimate albeit somewhat incomplete look into its' lead character. We know he has inner-demons but the film doesn't really dive-into that information/history, and it's that information and more background on the area where he's from, that are the only things holding this film back from true greatness. It's still a good movie. The film exceeded expectations and tugs at the heartstrings of the viewer. It also catapulted into my top-25 for 2015(16). I wasn't expecting that by any means.
I recommend "Eddie - Strongman" for anyone, and especially for those movie- buffs seeking a good recent documentary that had seemingly fallen through the cracks for me. I saw this on Netflix on Christmas Day 2016, and decided to give it a whirl. The wife and I liked this documentary.
Eddie Hall is quite the character, but he also seems like a genuine, and genuinely nice guy, despite his brash competition persona.
Check this out!
79/100 SOlid! You'll Like This if You Liked: King of Kong(awesome, a touch better than ES), I Hate Christian Laettner/30 for 30(about even, also very good). I've only ranked 565 of 4300 films an 8 or better. In other words - it's in the top 13% of everything I've rated.
Eye opening documentary
bearsss3 January 2017
Warning: Spoilers
This documentary was very good in that it shows the inner preparations and sacrifices of a strongman competitor (Eddie Hall). The suffering they put themselves and family through, for low monetary value was eye opening. It really humanizes the men that are on TV once a year to pull trucks or throw kegs over their head. They all have incredible aspirations to become the strongest among them. Eddie Hall has a skewed mindset from your normal husband and father of two. Where he sees his children and wife very little and honestly doesn't seem to care about their lives or problems for most the movie. The human inside comes through at the end. To be honest this film did more than grab my attention, I will most likely watch Worlds Strongest Man next year.
A documentary masterpiece...
harrysecker19 December 2015
It is no overstatement to start by saying that this largely crowd-funded film is absolutely brilliant. It really hits home about what the sport of Strongman is and probably will always be about. It charts multiple UK Strongest Man winner Eddie Halls rise to the top of the sport, not just in his own country, but in his attempt to dominate the world stage.
The film is really well made -Director Matt Bell provides excellent cinematography and a great soundtrack to show Eddie, his strongman friends and rivals, and of course his family, in a film of the highest standard which is woven together with great humour, scenes of greatness and moments that'll touch even the hardest hearts.
This is no "let's show a big guy lifting heavy weights, drinking protein shakes and throw in some competition footage for 90 minutes". (You will of course see some of some of the aforementioned!) No. It shows a man who is one of the men behind the faces that, despite being some of the most incredible human beings on Earth, for most people are not much more than big hairy blokes who pop up on TV around Xmas and New Year on The World's Strongest Man and then disappear again. It shows what his long suffering family have to endure and the toil the sport takes on his mind and body, to the point you juggle whether it should be success you achieve or if you pay the ultimate price in the pursuit of glory.
This will be the best documentary film you will have seen in a long while -whether you are into the sport or not - it is insightful, daring, gritty, motivating, fun, serious and most importantly, honest to the core -10/10.
The film is really well made -Director Matt Bell provides excellent cinematography and a great soundtrack to show Eddie, his strongman friends and rivals, and of course his family, in a film of the highest standard which is woven together with great humour, scenes of greatness and moments that'll touch even the hardest hearts.
This is no "let's show a big guy lifting heavy weights, drinking protein shakes and throw in some competition footage for 90 minutes". (You will of course see some of some of the aforementioned!) No. It shows a man who is one of the men behind the faces that, despite being some of the most incredible human beings on Earth, for most people are not much more than big hairy blokes who pop up on TV around Xmas and New Year on The World's Strongest Man and then disappear again. It shows what his long suffering family have to endure and the toil the sport takes on his mind and body, to the point you juggle whether it should be success you achieve or if you pay the ultimate price in the pursuit of glory.
This will be the best documentary film you will have seen in a long while -whether you are into the sport or not - it is insightful, daring, gritty, motivating, fun, serious and most importantly, honest to the core -10/10.
Excellent documentary
Heatherb1235 January 2016
Whether you are into the world of Strongman or not this is a really watchable film. It takes us on a journey using a mixture of reality, pathos, humour and amazing music to learn what it is like to be driven to be the strongest man in the world. The cinematography is beautiful and the drive and determination that Eddie shows is incredible. You meet his family and learn so much about what it is like to compete at this very high level. From being a young national class swimmer to the man mountain he is today is a fascinating story. And the moments when the challenge is greatest and the tension runs high are shown so well here. I believe this film will really raise the profile of the Strongman events in this country; it is an awesome sport but has lacked fame and funding since the days of Geoff Capes who was a national in the 60s.
Strongman's Pumping Iron.......... but better
gmccorkill8 January 2016
This Movie is fantastic, it is shot brilliantly and puts another slant on the life of a Strongman. It brings to light the struggle they have to train, eat and earn a living.
Eddie comes across in many different ways which is a credit to the production team. It is worth a watch just to see him playing with his boy and his brothers.
The movie also touches on the mentality needed to be a Strongman or any athlete, emphasising on the drive and tenacity
As mentioned in the summary this is the Strongman's Pumping Iron!!!!
Awesome!!!!
Eddie comes across in many different ways which is a credit to the production team. It is worth a watch just to see him playing with his boy and his brothers.
The movie also touches on the mentality needed to be a Strongman or any athlete, emphasising on the drive and tenacity
As mentioned in the summary this is the Strongman's Pumping Iron!!!!
Awesome!!!!
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