FEATURING
Ajarn Chai Sirisute, Selina “Teep Queen” Flores, Bryan Popejoy, Dean “Lethal Legs” Lessei, Eden Ireland, Angela Bahr, Pete Peterson, Pam Peterson, Morgan Walgren, Rick Sollo CONCEIVED AND DIRECTED BY
Adam Wagner MPA RATING
NR RUNNING TIME
74 Mins. DISTRIBUTED BY
Indie Rights OFFICIAL IMDB
Movie Review: A Fighting Legacy
I can always depend on indie distributor Indie Rights to show up with a unique, spirited film. That's exactly what I get with writer/director Adam Wagner's A Fighting Legacy, a 74-minute feature doc immersing us in the world of the TBA tournament. Thai Boxing, or Muay Thai, landed in the States courtesy of Ajarn Chai Sirisute and really blossomed in the 1990s. Known as "the art of eight limbs," Muay Thai is a rather remarkable sport to watch. Somehow both brutal and communal, from its earliest roots it has combined both tough competition and an emphasis on friendship and community.
Wagner's passion for Muay Thai is evident throughout the documentary. Wagner has been active in the sport for 15+ years in a variety of roles from fighter to coach and referee. Muay Thai grew in popularity once Sirisute brought it to the States in 1968. He himself started the Thai Boxing Association's annual world tournament - the largest full-contact Muay Thai event in the Western hemisphere that is held in Des Moines, Iowa.
A Fighting Legacy is a no-frills documentary. Wagner gives us an abundance of Muay Thai footage courtesy of participants young and old. He also interviews a number of those who help us understand what separates Muay Thai from other forms of martial arts and fighting. Wagner presents Muay Thai as perhaps one of the most accessible fighting styles, though I'll admit I found myself having difficulty seeing a place for wheelchair users (NOTE: There are always exceptions).
While I'm not quite convinced that A Fighting Legacy will have you rushing out to join up as the closing credits are rolling, it's an engaging, entertaining documentary as much about the Muay Thai community as it is the actual fighting.
If you've ever wondered about Muay Thai, A Fighting Legacy is a terrific place to start to understand the sport, its history, the people who are so fiercely committed to it, and the underlying meaning underneath it all.
A Fighting Legacy is available via many of your usual streaming platforms courtesy of Indie Rights.
