Kids in a Cage

Kids in a cage is one of the best sports films I've seen in some time. It's a world I knew nothing about but it's captured vividly - and fairly - with a lot of care.

The two main characters are MMA fighting kids, one Latina and poor, the other white and wealthy. We think we're along for a ride to find out if they win Nationals, which we are but the director does a great job of showing the pitfalls tor the kids. Their parents are ultimately not just living through them but in some cases the kids become the parents. Of course this isn't unique to this particular youth sport but in MMA the consequences are steep.

By the time the film ended I couldn't stop thinking about where these kids would be in 5 or 10 years.

As someone who has been in martial arts for almost 20 years I enjoyed this documentary. It brought attention to this sport and two athletes stories as they compete in it. This sport can be seen as shocking quite when it's portrayed in a cage. It's actually pretty safe and would allow my kids to do it if they really wanted to. I appreciate that they showed multiple perspectives from those on the outside, leaders in the organization, the athletes and of course the parents. A&E definitely got their shock value out of this show. The commercial definitely made this look like the kids are actually doing MMA. They do clarify later how it is NOT and how this sport IS safe. Unfortunately the visuals definitely lean more to sway those that may be uncomfortable about this to slamming the door on the topic all together. I think they miss the background of the martial arts that go into this. Karate, Muay Thai, BJJ and wrestling, all that have much more to them than just getting in a cage. They did not once touch on the history of Pankration, which is what this actually is and it's history as one of the original Olympic sports. It's basically a glorified BJJ match that this show displays in a cage rather than a Mat. It makes me wonder how authenticity they captured the lives of these kids and their parents. Perhaps they didn't give this show time to go deeper as it's only one episode. I definitely could have watched some more and it would have probably added value and more clarity most viewers deserved. If you do martial arts, are interested in them or are curious what these kids are actually doing? Check this show out.

Who knew this strange youth culture existed-in 26 countries! After watching, one can appreciate MMA in a new light. One of the trainers poignantly observes, "violence (in this country) is always gonna be there. If these kids dont have tools to defend themselves, they're dead meat".

This film is indeed a treatise on martial arts in our modern age. The unorthodox sport of kids MMA celebrates classic values like discipline and self-reliance, but at times no doubt, seems to license a dangerous amount of aggression in our youth.

While the film follows 10 and 11-year-olds (and their fervent parents) to tournaments around the world, the most salient scenes are in the kids' domiciles, where we get a glimpse into their not-so-Rockwellian home lives.

Ultimately Irving paints a complex picture of the new nuclear family: what some call toxic masculinity; others American exceptionalism.

Kids in a cage is a raw look at kids aspiring to become future MMA fighters. It shows the tale of two kids training, working hard and cutting their teeth to hopefully someday compete against the best. Some moments can be tough to watch as no one wants to see kids trading hands. Martial arts and mixed martial arts does teach kids the principles of discipline, competition, focus, work ethic and perseverance. The world is not all sunshine and roses, life will not hand anything to you, these kids are learning what it will take to succeed going forward. It's not about the fighting, they are developing mental fortitude, inner strength and realizing early on that life is not going to hand you anything. Trophies, awards, and promotions should be EARNED and not just given just because. Many will say the parents are wrong for allowing their kids to compete but I would disagree. These parents can get a little obsessive and compulsive about things because their totally invested in their children's progress and future but sometimes that can come at a cost that the child must bear. As Carl Jung once said, "The greatest burden a child must bear is the unlived life of its parents." It's a worthwhile watch, it's a conversation provoking watch, it can make you a bit uncomfortable at times but at the end of the day, competition WILL make children stronger and better adults as they'll be able to handle life's challenges, rewards and setbacks. MMA is not for everyone. Some parents will associate it ignorantly as the same thing as raising fighting dogs. For them - I can only disagree and say - "that's your perspective" and I hope you enjoy your trophy labelled "entitled."

If I didn't see it I wouldn't believe it. This documentary is very well put together showing not only the perspectives of the child athletes themselves, but also their parents, sport organizers, and grown up athletic counterparts. Irving shows both those in support of and those critical of various showcased aspects of the sport. He is not afraid to ask parents and organizers the tough questions I myself was wondering. The viewer is left to consider the information presented and determine their take on the subject, which I appreciate. Overall, I would recommend this documentary to anyone that appreciates, martial arts, sports, coming of age, or documentaries in general.