The Last Gladiators

R

2011

1h 34m

Documentary

List

90%

Tomatometer

10 Reviews

81%

Audience Score

250+ Ratings

Filmmaker Alex Gibney explores the history of the hockey goon.

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Nick Schager

Village Voice

Gibney celebrates hockey's fisticuff traditions while also recognizing how such brutality ultimately takes its greatest toll on those who perpetrate it.

Feb 13, 2013

Full Review

Farran Smith Nehme

New York Post

Gibney deserves credit for making a hockey film that the uninitiated can watch with interest, and for focusing on an issue even some hockey fans can't make up their minds about.

Rated: 2.5/4

Feb 1, 2013

Full Review

Nicolas Rapold

New York Times

Pretty or not, the stories of dropped gloves and smashed faces shed some clarity on the game's violence ...

Rated: 3/5

Jan 31, 2013

Full Review

Sara Maria Vizcarrondo

Movies With Butter

In a way, this doc is Bully, grown up, and from the bully's perspective.

Mar 15, 2013

Full Review

Chris Hewitt

St. Paul Pioneer Press

Even if you're not a hockey fan, Nilan is a modest and insightful guy.

Rated: 3/4

Feb 21, 2013

Full Review

Brian Orndorf

Blu-ray.com

Reflecting the sweep of aggression that swallowed the game throughout the 20th century, Gibney tackles his points smartly, laboring to communicate the thrill of combat and the shock of retirement.

Rated: B+

Feb 15, 2013

Full Review

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Audience Member

Just as advertised- delves into the culture of fighting in the NHL, interviews some of it's principal characters over the years, and focuses in on Nilan's story of going from the poster boy of toughness in the NHL to his decline and struggles after hockey. Slow paced, but gripping at points and keeps audience hopeful of a happy ending for these characters.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

Full Review

Audience Member

7/7/15 Netflix Once again a kudo to the doc genre. A tough movie about tough guys, Chris Niland in particular, in a tough sport. While fans may mourn the drop in hockey fighting this movie sure tells why it is for the best for the athletes who play it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A touching story of the hardest role in hockey, as told by a real enforcer, Chris Nilan. Difficult at times, but very interesting and with lots of good hockey footage and a few laughs. Watched at home on Netflix with Josh, June 18, 2015.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/18/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Solid documentary for even the non hockey fan.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/10/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A movie for hockey fans. For others it will drag. You need to know something about guys like Probert, O'Reilly, Semeknko, McSorley, Schultz & Kelley, Hunter, Brashear, Nilan and what they had to do to play the game they loved. If those names do not ring a bell (ha!) then the struggles of these men will not resonate. They were enforcers, protectors. "Without McSorly there is no Gretzky", as the movie says. The movie centers on Chris Nilan - a former player with a harrowing life story. Here was a guy nicknamed "Knuckles" who did everything he was told to make the big time. He fought. He skated. He was a spark plug. He was born, bred and spent every second of his life doing anything he had to do to be a hockey player. Then the game was done with him and he had nowhere to turn. His father, a former green beret, still thinks Chris should be ashamed of himself. It isn't touchy feely in that household or in the league. Not everyone has the problems that Nilan does - but many do. The movie does not even mention concussions. Bob Probert - the toughest of them all - died at age 45. His brain showed signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Like Junior Seau. And 76 out of 79 former NFL players. Nilan could also play the game. So could Probert. The pure goon (like Twist) is a species that the NHL is eliminating. Fighting became part of the game back during the original 6 days when officials could only see so much. Someone cheap shots your star - officials don't catch it - you send out the big guy to get medieval on the offender. Now with every game recorded from many angles, the league can aggressively punish dirty players and the suspensions are a bigger deterrent than retaliation ever was. There is a fight every 3 games or so this season. It is a dying breed. Good for the game and its credibility. Not so good for the guys that gave their bodies and took on all comers to make the NHL. These were hard men. The shedding of blood as entertainment was a staple during the Roman Empire - but it faded away 100 years before its fall. Thankfully it may also fade away in the NHL. Hockey is the real beautiful game. No athlete gives more to win a championship than those in the NHL with its endless, grueling post season.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Coming from a Hockey family I have a better understanding for the roles that each player has for their team. The Last Guardian was a solid documentary that looks at the enforcers who played the game and kept their teammates safe.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/15/23

Full Review

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Alex Gibney

Director

Guy Carbonneau

Self

Lyndon L Byers

Self

Marty McSorley

Self

Chris Nilan

Self

Bob Probert

Self

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Synopsis

Filmmaker Alex Gibney explores the history of the hockey goon.

Director: Alex Gibney
Producer: Robert Brooks, George Gund, Donald Rizzo, Michael Messner, Barry Reese
Screenwriter: Jim Podhoretz, Larry Weitzman
Production Co: Locomotion Films
Rating: R (Language)
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 22, 2016
Runtime: 1h 34m