Fire in Babylon

Fire in Babylon is not just a documentary on a cricket team. Well, it is but its approach isn't limited to just cricket. It includes almost everyth... read more

Fire in Babylon is not just a documentary on a cricket team. Well, it is but its approach isn't limited to just cricket. It includes almost everything that West Indies stood for. It captures the vast expanse of its music, culture, politics and history. It is nostalgic yet it doesn't resort to romanticism by glorifying the sport. It also puts forth the downside of the way the game was played. Not really a gentleman's game, was it? The Australian team is revealed to be a pack of warriors, Dennis Lillee solely responsible for causing several injuries. Yet it was when the West Indians imbibed this strategy, they were looked at as barbarians. Not warriors.

Stevan Riley makes specific attempts to show what cricket was back then. It was even an instrument to suppress the colonized. They faced racism, they faced criticism. A revealing moment shows Tony Greig talking about making the "grovel". That one word which stirred each member of the team and still echoes in their minds tells a lot about how unfounded hate can affect a sport. There is a definite political resonance as well. What it meant for the abolition of apartheid in South Africa. Sure, it's a history lesson but it's an important one and with the help of some enjoyable ska/ reggae music, it is never boring.

A good team can be made of excellent players but a great team is a balanced one. The reserve of Sir Clive Lloyd, the gift of Sir Vivian Richards and Andy Roberts' menace all add up to create a team, which was perfect but also happened to be there at the right time.

My favorite moment is when the players talk about meeting Bob Marley. Viv Richards says “Get Up, Stand Up” became battlefield music for him while he was on the pitch. We never wonder what goes on in the player's minds when they are just about to face the ball, do we? Preoccupied with wanting them to hit sixes. But this unique moment tells us how they get inspired; they too can have songs stuck in their heads. This brings me to the fact that every nation needs great men who excel in sport, music, film etc. Something that puts them on the map and not just get lost as a dot. The West Indians had the cricket team and Bob Marley who changed the way music was created and changed the way a game had been played.

This is a wet dream for a cricket lover. For others, it can be an inspiring underdog story about group of boys trying to fight for something that means a lot to them and their country.

view less

In this brilliant recap of an era long forgotten, filmmaker Stevan Riley brings us close to a race of cricketers who played the game as though it w... read more

In this brilliant recap of an era long forgotten, filmmaker Stevan Riley brings us close to a race of cricketers who played the game as though it was their way of life. To the world, the West Indian cricket team of the 60s and 70s was only regarded as 'calypso' (read collapse) cricketers who are champions at entertaining, but never at winning. This is the story of the rise of cricketing underdogs to world dominators. West Indians never considered cricket as a sport, but as an opportunity to fight against racism and claim equality on field.

\r

Take a stroll down the Caribbean beach and you will see many groups of children playing cricket passionately, hoping to become Sir Gary Field Roberts, Sir Vivian Richards, Michael Holding, Andy Roberts and Malcolm Marshall, someday.

\r

Besides being called Black, afro-American and nigger, West Indians were most commonly referred to as slaves and were treated alike. However, as the game of cricket developed and received global recognition paving way to smaller countries to participate in the sport, West Indians decided to take up the sport seriously and earn some respect out of the same. Through cricket, West Indians aka ex-slaves tried to excel in a game the English masters had brought on.

\r

Up till 1960, a white man used to captain the West Indian team much to the wonder of its countrymen until Sir Frank Worrell became the first Black man to captain the side. Not only did this movie led to a nationwide upliftment, but proved that so-called colored people too, had leadership qualities in them.

\r

The people of the Caribbean islands were still oppressed and they were in dire need of something to be called their own, something they can hold close to their hearts. Cut to next scene, they welcomed a leader 'Clive Lloyd' unanimously, who transformed a devastated West Indian young team after the disappointing 1975 tour of Australia, into one of the best Test playing nations that remained undisputed for fifteen long years.

\r

Led by Sir Clive Lloyd, West Indian team of the 1970s was arguably one of the most successful teams in the history, but the boys struggled together to remain unshaken. Bamboozled by the fearsome bowling line up of the Australians, the team went back home dejected after 75' tour to return with a winning line up consisting of Viv Richards, the master blaster, fearsome pace quartet - Holding, Roberts, Garner and Marshall, and an inspirational leader Lloyd.

\r

'Fire in Babylon', while showing the rise of the West Indian cricketing team from ground up, also throws light on the political and social discrimination on the team by rest of the world.

\r

In short, for every cricket enthusiast, this is an awe-inspiring story of relentless struggle, winning spirit and one team, one country experience.

\r

\r

\r

\r

\r

\r
view less

If you have any knowledge of the cricketing world, then you would know that the West Indies team of the 70's & 80's had one of the most formida... read more

If you have any knowledge of the cricketing world, then you would know that the West Indies team of the 70's & 80's had one of the most formidable attacks in the world. Fire in Babylon showcases what went on in making the team, what they had to go through & their eventual triumph.\r
\r
Inspiring, fun & entertaining, this is a MUST watch for anyone who has ever followed the game.\r
\r
The 60's were a rough period for West Indian cricket as they faced racism, bodyline bowling in the Australian series & were looked down upon by the rest of the world. The film delves into their lives & shows us how Clive Lloyd put together the unbeatable team with 4 pacers who could let it rip.\r
\r
The film is crisp, has great music & a brilliant narrative. At no point do you see yourself getting bored and the story of this team is nothing short of thrilling.\r
\r
Director Stevan Riley hits you with a bout of nostalgia and leaves you wanting more at the end of it.\r
\r
To sum it up, Fire in Babylon is an uplifting documentary that is a compelling watch. If theres one movie you'll watch this weekend, make it this one...its unmissable. view less

\rThis week that had Moonrise Kingdom and Dredd releasing I was not particularly interested in watching Fire in Babylon. First of all I am not a c... read more

\r

This week that had Moonrise Kingdom and Dredd releasing I was not particularly interested in watching Fire in Babylon. First of all I am not a cricket fan having quit watching cricket somewhere in mid 90's. But before that I grew up playing and following the game quite actively.

\r

We all love an underdog story. This is the story of the rise and rise of an underdog team called the West Indies cricket team. The team of the 70's and the 80's.

\r

Of the all the names that crop up in the documentary I have heard and seen a few of them play like Clive Llyod, Viv Richards, Malcom Marshall and Andy Roberts. It was nostalgia at it's best watching shots of these players playing the game the way it was meant to be played. Thanks to this, for a short while I was back in my childhood days.

\r

Director Steven Riley uses music to good effect to make this story sound pleasent and energetic to the eyes. It also helps to make it not come across dry and filled with stastics. So along with a host of other prominent people you have Bunny Wailer in an animated cameo talking about the team.

\r

The docu is paced like a nail biting twenty twenty game mixing history and politics in a perfectly balanced proportion.

\r

I was never too fond of History but since the time I discovered cinema I like to learn my history through films rather than books. This film is a welcome addition to that learning process.

\r

Word of mouth - If you call yourself a cricket fan it is your duty to watch this dcoumentary . If not it still works as an exercise in team building and an inspiration to fight it out against all odds.

\r

Rating - **** (Very Good)

\r

Ticket Meter - Worth a visit to the theatre

\r
view less

gd