The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
    • Shows & On demand
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

CultureCinemaShows, on demand & home video

Rising Phoenix

Rising Phoenix | Movie review
20 August 2020
Umar Ali
Avatar
Umar Ali
20 August 2020

Movie and show review

Umar Ali

Rising Phoenix

★★★★★

Release date

26th August 2020

Certificate

UPG121518 title=

Platform

Netflix

Links

Website

Rising Phoenix is, at face level, a fairly straightforward documentary concept – a deep dive into the Paralympics and the people who help make it happen. But the documentary takes this simple concept and runs with it in a number of different directions, offering a comprehensive view of the past, present and future of the games from a variety of unique perspectives.

The Paralympians are of course front and centre in this film, and Rising Phoenix gives each individual story the weight and polish it deserves. Tales of tragedy and triumph are represented masterfully here, with gorgeous set pieces and powerful sound design, and each athlete is given the space to tell their individual narrative in a way that is inspiring without being voyeuristic (as can sometimes be the case with this kind of story).

Rising Phoenix also takes some time to explore the sociological side of the Paralympics, from its genesis in 1948 through the efforts of Sir Ludwig Guttmann to the massive international event it is today. The documentary explores the effects of the games across a number of interesting social axes, highlighting the importance of the Paralympics in overcoming the stigma of disability as well as the cultural impact the games have on the countries that host it. It’s a side that is as important to the narrative of the Paralympics as the games themselves, and Rising Phoenix does an excellent job in marrying the stories of past and present to create a multifaceted image of the Paralympics.

Rising Phoenix is a bombastic, powerful tribute to an important international institution, giving the story of the Paralympics the depth and complexity an event of its magnitude deserves. It’s a very intense watch, and at just under two hours it’s a long one, but it’s deeply fascinating and as inspiring as the games themselves are.

★★★★★

Umar Ali

Rising Phoenix is released digitally on demand on 26th August 2020.

Watch the trailer for Rising Phoenix here:

Related Itemsfeaturedreview

More in Cinema

Identifying Features

★★★★★
Sean Gallen
Read More

23 Walks

★★★★★
Andrew Murray
Read More

The White Tiger

★★★★★
Emma-Jane Betts
Read More

Female filmmakers lead nominees for the London Critics’ Circle Film Awards

The editorial unit
Read More

Persian Lessons: Exclusive new clip

The editorial unit
Read More

Baby Done

★★★★★
Emma-Jane Betts
Read More

Quo Vadis, Aida?

★★★★★
Andrew Murray
Read More

The Exception

★★★★★
Guy Lambert
Read More

The New Music

★★★★★
Dan Meier
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Movie and show review

Umar Ali

Rising Phoenix

★★★★★

Release date

26th August 2020

Certificate

UPG121518 title=

Platform

Netflix

Links

Website

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Female filmmakers lead nominees for the London Critics’ Circle Film Awards
    Cinema
  • An interview with Ifrah Ismael: Tales from the Front Line and other stories
    Theatre
  • Persian Lessons
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Jeremiah Fraites – Piano Piano
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Lonely the Brave – The Hope List
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Identifying Features
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • 23 Walks
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Live Lab at The Yard Theatre: An interview with associate director Cheryl Gallagher
    Theatre
  • We Still Fax at ANTS Theatre Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • We Ask These Questions of Everybody: An interview with Amble Skuse and Toria Banks
    Theatre
  • Identifying Features
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • We Still Fax at ANTS Theatre Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • WandaVision: Marvel’s charming sitcom proves an astounding success
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • The Queen’s Gambit: A chess story that’s not about the moves but the motives
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Undercover at Morpheus Show Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

The Waterboys – Good Luck, Seeker | Album review
The Killers – Imploding the Mirage: Infectious melodies, heartfelt lyrics and a true masterpiece | Album review