“People said that we’re spoiling the game, aiming to kill. Aggression means aggression and that’s how I look at life. You fight, I’m gonna fight. We had a mission that we believe in ourselves and we’re just as good as anyone…EQUAL for that matter.” – Vivian Richards
All is fair in love and war…and sports!
Cricket is the game of the greatest colonizers of the world and here is the story of vengeance replacing ‘whitewash’ to ‘blackwash’. British filmmaker Steven Riley's this documentary is must watch for all cricket buffs and it’s as exciting as watching some of the finest vengeance film. The unsettling, aggressive, jaw breaking Caribbean bowling attack made them one of the most formidable team that rules in Test Cricket history for more than 15 years.
Going back to history, things was not always peaceful as today in the beautiful paradise island of West Indies. It’s long and painful history of oppression, apartheid and civil war. Sixties and seventies are revolutionary period and the new generation youth through education, music and sports showed their temper and identity to the world against the racial disparity. It all begins in their Australian test tour in 1975, where Ausies have controversial attacking and dangerous side of nasty fast bowlers in form of Thomson and Lillee. They were such ruthless bowlers that batsmen playing against them begging for mercy. They butchered West Indies side with injuries and humiliation of all sorts and won the series with 5-1. Battered West Indies hit back with killing spirit and fierce pace power after a year. They first let India surrendered the series and then let the Master of Cricket grovel with winning all three tests. It’s still undisputed fact that from Feb-March of 1980 to Feb-March 1995, West Indies did not lose a test series. Quite an unbeaten record!
The film is sessions of interviews with those shining West Indies national heroes ranging from the Wizard Viv Richards, Malcolm Marshall, Colin Croft, Michael Holding, Andy Roberts, Joel Garner, Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes and above all Clive Lloyd who gifted first two World cups to West Indies and the man behind that unbeatable team. It has rare television footage and classic nostalgic moments of those glorious shifting time where Windies was at its the best.
Highly Recommended watch for all…it’s as exciting as watching a vengeance thriller.
Ratings-8/10
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