China Heavyweight

China Heavyweight takes us into the lives of rural kids hoping for global success
THE WEALTH GAP is emerging as one of the biggest political, cultural and moral issues of our era. Not only is America's wealth gap widening until upward mobility seems impossible for millions of poor Americans--but the global wealth gap threatens to keep world peace a distant hope. That's the larger drama that keeps us watching China Heavyweight, the latest feature-length documentary from director Yung Chang and Zeitgeist films.

Dirt-poor, rural Chinese kids are given opportunities at middle-school age to take a shot at wealth and success by competing in boxing camps. In 1959, Mao Tse Tung banned Western boxing for many years--as "too American and too violent," as we learn in the opening minutes of this new documentary. But boxing is back now in the new China! As you watch this film, you will spot dozens of American icons from framed photos of Muhammad Ali to the Nike Swoosh surrounding these communities. That rising public interest in China frees educators, trainers and...

A Great Look Into Chinese Boxing and Culture... (3.5/5)
China Heavyweight documents Qi Moxiang, former champion and current coach, as he goes to several rural China villages with Zhao Zhong, the boxing program director, to recruit those with the potential to pursue careers in boxing. It also documents these potential champions as they live life, train, and make life-changing decisions. China Heavyweight is a great look into Chinese boxing and culture.

This documentary has a sports theme, but delves deeper into the general culture of China, specifically those in the rural areas. It is a very interesting documentary, especially for those of us interested in other cultures and lifestyles; you don't have to be a boxing fan to enjoy this. It never abandons the boxing, although it does occasionally lose its focus. It's not a traditional documentary, as in it doesn't follow a simple structure, and is a little hard to follow at times; I say this because it never fully focuses on a single person and jumps around too often, and it feels...



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