Having grown up in Brooklyn, New York the only reason to have contact with a steer is for a steak. Okay, that was not politically correct but in the fifties there was no PETA, only the local meat store. In the film ‘Bullriding’ by Josh Aronson another use for this powerful animal is considered, the titular sport. Now the idea of willingly getting on a ton of angry animal for a ride is pure insanity for any of us city folk. Still, there are parts of this nation were this one of the most popular sporting events around. Admittedly the sport is exciting. The thing is it typically lasts about ten seconds or less. This documentary is targeted to an extremely specific demographic. This is the part of the truck were a boy enters manhood when his dad gives him the keys to the pick up. These are hard working people who want their sport fast, furious and dangerous. Within that ten second period a man is likely to wind up looking more like the hamburger meat his ride’s relatives are often made into. These riders are shown as more than just the ultimate macho men they most certainly are; for the most part they are devote Christians. The film contrasts the raw energy of these men with a true spiritual side.

This documentary was made by Josh Aronson who has been in this field for awhile now. Mostly he has done television work but his ‘Sound and Fury’ about the division between the deaf and hearing worlds was well received. Here he goes into detail to bring his audience into this fast pace and often deadly world of competitive bull riding. He follows the 2004 World Championship race in such a way that even if you are not a fan of the sport you will find yourself getting into the action and the men behind it all. This is actually a subset of the overall professional bull riding field, the Christian set. They are quick to give shouts out to the Lord between bone crushing injuries. The soundtrack of the movie is replete with Christian rock classics. These are modern day gladiators, strong in their faith as they enter the ring to face possible death for the entertainment of the crowd. The scandals that plague so many sports starts are not a factor here. There are no steroids, now falling for the feminine wiles of groupies and their drug free urine would be coveted by many professional athletes. This is also not the kind of sport were a minor injury benches the competitors. Most have enough metal pins holding together their bones to build a small car. They mount the one ton animals holding on for dear life to a rope. One hand is in the air waving frantically as they try to stay on for just another second or two. There are rewards that help draw men into the sport. The World Finals in Las Vegas shown here had a top prize of one million dollars. The losers come away with considerably less but if they are fortunate at least they will walk or be wheeled away with their lives. As the film progresses we get to see the field of those likely to take top honors dwindle to ten and finally to the top three.

Adriano Moraes is a two time winner of the world championship and is frequently referred to as the ‘Michael Jordon’ of bull riding. He is the grand old man of the sport holding the honor of being the first to win the coveted Professional Bull Rider (PBR) top title. Although he now calls the great state of Texas home he was born and raised in Sao Paolo, Brazil. He is usually seen with his beautiful wife, Flávia and their four children Victor, Jeremias, Antonio and Pedro. He is a devote Catholic who states his favorite book ass the Bible and his personal idol as the late Pope John Paul II. Born in 1970 he rode his first bull at the tender age of 17. He is one of the top earners in the sport and largely considered the man to beat

Coming up at the heels of Moraes is Justin McBride. He may be nine years his competitor’s junior but is every much as dedicated to the sport as Moraes. He is also a dedicated husband to his wife Jill. In the season followed here McBride suffered several injuries that would have sidelined a lesser man including a broken ankle. A bull named Lefty bucked him off and stomped on his ankle snapping it in two. He required surgery to repair it but was determined not to let something like this keep him from riding. If a rider falls backward off the animal it is best. This way he can hopefully push away from the stomping animal; quickly a ‘bullfighter’, not the rodeo clown of the past rushes in to distract the raging bull giving that vital second or so for the rider to scurry to safety. If the rider falls forward he is in danger of getting caught on the horns and pulled directly underneath the beast. Initially McBride was behind but a change in the scoring system allowed him to catch up to Moraes and keep second place.

The last of the top three is rookie Mike Lee. He was only 22 at the time of the events filmed here and despite his young age is a fierce competitor. Like many men on the circuit he is a devote Christian who gives glory to the Lord each and every day. Once in the ring he is determined to win and hangs on to the rope for dear life. He is one of the new breed of riders that opts for wearing a protective face mask. Most riders have faces that proudly show the scars like a resume.

Aronson gets the most of this subject by making sure there is plenty of action to go around. He does stretch the few seconds by a liberal use of slow motion photography. There are ample interviews no only the riders but also the doctors and ministers that follow them on the circuit. The real unsung hero of this sort is the bullfighter. It is sup to him to save the rider when he is thrown off by placing his own life directly in the path of the bull while the rider gets all the money and fame. Just think about that the next time you think you hate your job.

This is just one more imaginative DVD release from First Look Studios. If you are looking for something off the beaten track their catalogue should be one of the top places to look. Like most of their DVDs this is something that you might not have though you would enjoy but once you start will not be able to move from your seat.