Movie review: Tyson

Mike Tyson, is the fomer undisputed heavy weight boxing champion of the world. Besides being the 2 time heavy weight champion, he was also the youngest boxer to win a bunch of heavy weight championships. He is so good at what he does when he was young, that some people use "like Mike Tyson in his prime" to describe someone who is really on top of his/her game, and nicknamed "The baddest man on the planet".

People will also remember Tyson for his controversial life style, biting his opponent's ear, rape accusation, and all sorts of other things.

In 2008, a documentary film was made by James Toback about Mike Tyson, who without doubt is one of the most memorial athlete in the history of sports.

To be honest, I thought Tyson was just some naturally talented boxer who made it big, and became spoiled by his fortune and then went into a downward spiral. However, after I watched this documentary film, I got a whole new insight about Tyson, and also a deeper understanding about many other issues in life.

The film started with a 10 minutes footage of Tyson in his prime, at the pinnacle of his career. Boxing and conquering all of his opponents with unmatched skills, skills and aurora. Then Tyson began to talk about his early childhood and his fractured family, where he had no strong male role model as he was growing up.

At this point I was really surprised when Tyson talked about how he was bullied when he was a child, and how after the first time he fought back against the bully. He was determined that he will not be bullied again. His violent reactions to being bullied eventually got him into a youth detention centre. Where he first encoutered boxing, Tyson had great interest in boxing, and after his time at the detention centre. Tyson found his mentor "Cus D'Amato, who not only became his couch in boxing, but also became a father figure for him.

At this point, Tyson choke back the tears as he talked about the devastation on him when his mentor died of old age.

From there, Tyson's life went into a downard spiral, from a divorce that left Tyson angry and empty, which led to to his drug use problem and living a life of over indulgence in all things material.

The documentary ended with Tyson describing his last few fights after he was released from the prison. Where he found himself has a new found perspective and respect about family and life, and have lost the desire to fight..

As Tyson said after he lost a match which would be his retirement, that although he had the ability to stay in shape, but he just doesn't have that fighting desire anymore. All he wanted to do was to watch his kids grow and raise them to the best of his abilities.

My thoughts:

First of all, this is a great documentary. Even if you are not a fan of documentary, boxing (which I know nothing about) or Tyson, you will still find many things in this film that you will like.

As I watched this film, I realized a few important truths about human society.

One of the most striking realization for me, is the undeniable importance of a strong male model in a child's growing up process. One of Tyson's biggest tragedy as a child was that he had no strong role model to show him what is the right thing to do when he was bullied. Having no strong male role model to guide and inspire him, Tyson resorted to violence and habored a lot of anger and fear for a long time in his life. The anger and fear did help him to become one of the most fearful, dominant boxer in history, but it also ruined him as a person.

I often wonder how can gay/lesbian couples who want to adapt child can honestly claim they can raise a child with a healthy character, in absence of a strong male role model or an obvious motherly figure. Just as God created man and woman in His image (so both men and women are both children of God), God has also assigned different responsibilities and roles for men and women in all aspects of our lives, because he created us to be similar yet so different.

Fathers are called to be good fathers and leaders of his family who needs to teach, encourage and inspire his children in a good way, and living out a life of Godly example (model) to their children. In our modern society, how many fathers are bad role models to their children because they don't understand what it means to be a man?

Although I have never being a father, nor have I being married. But from the Bible I can know what God's purpose for me as a man is. I can know my identity and purpose to live out God's calling for me as a human male in this world. It is a tragedy that our society has departed from the Bible and its teachings, so men today are becoming confused with our God given identity, calling, responsibilities and purposes.

Sometimes I wonder if true Masculinity is dead, and in its place we are brain washed and fooled into thinking it is our: social status, intelligence, good looks, physical prowess, money, social skills, beer consumption, risk taking behavior, porn consumption, number of sex partners, new age ideas, metro-sexual lifestyle, or whatever (the list goes on) that defines our masculinity.

Or have men's backs being bent in the pressure of feminism and we have forgotten our calling to be true men of God? To live a life worthy of God's purpose for us as men?

Anyway, I am glad that Tyson has seemingly worked out his issues by now, and is presently dedicated to be a good father to his children, which is very inspiring.

Final score: 4/5