Ice Guardians

Brett Harvey's documentary Ice Guardians (released in 2016) is about very interesting subject. I am an ice hockey fan and enforcers are one interesting part of the NHL matches. I have noticed that fights have decreased in recent years. This documentary told some reasons for that.

Many former NHL players who were enforcers told about being enforcer and the evolution of the role in the history of the NHL. Former players and most fans who were interviewed hoped that the role of enforcer wouldn't disappear completely. Couple of interviewed said that the health of enforcers is a priority.

The documentary isn't completely objective and could be little shorter. On the other hand some interviews are emotional for example Dave Semenko's thoughts about winning the Stanley Cup when he played in Edmonton. Better than average documentary. 7/10

Great hearing and seeing actual players in the video clips and interviews speaking for themselves instead of some biased, deceptive media talking head. Excellent depiction of an enforcer in hockey and the NHL. The hot issues, enforcers, fighting, concussions..., were discussed fairly by all sides. Well done!

This film is a must watch for any hockey fan and indeed great viewing for any sports fan in general An amazing insight into the life of a professional hockey player, specifically looking at the role of the enforcer. It is cut together very well, it grips you to the point of not being able to look away in fear of missing something. The players them selves are captivating and the various experts add levels of depth. This includes Dr Victoria Silverwood, who adds her views following her PhD study entitled "Five for Fighting: The Culture and Practice of Violence in Professional Ice Hockey".

I cannot wait to watch it again, as I have a firm feeling that I will "see" other things that I missed the first time around.

I thought the preview was better than the actual film. The documentary lacks any narration and ends up being an endless stream of clips from interviews with tough guys (oh and Jay Baruchel has a lot to say though I have no idea what makes him an authority on the subject). The story drags on far too long (this could/should be a one hour film!) and the constant footage of fights gets a bit tiresome, if not gruesome, over time. I played hockey my whole life and still struggle with the role of fighting in the game. I was looking for some stimulative thought in this contentious issue but didn't get any from this film. It is very biased, effectively glorifying the enforcers of the game (albeit in a rather covert way). I didnt watch a film on fighters without expecting to see some good fights, but at the end of the day this film lacked any balance or thought provoking ideas about the issue. Just more of a celebration of violence and a subtle resentment of how the game has changed over time.

Tries to be fair and balanced for the most part, although those that don't like fighting or enforcers are portrayed as out of touch and elitist, this is more about showing all facets of the characters that play and talking about their role. Solid movie if you're a hockey can, not sure if it would make one out of a non-fan though.