Stream It or Skip It: ‘Zion’ on Netflix, a Powerful Look at a Superlative Wrestler

Netflix’s flurry of new Friday releases includes plenty of content, ranging from full TV seasons to feature films and standup specials. There’s also one documentary short in the bunch, a look at the life of high school wrestler Zion Clark. Born without legs, Zion bounced around the foster care system with only one constant in his life: wrestling. Through a unique wrestling technique developed by Clark’s coach, Zion thrived in previously unimaginable ways, becoming an inspiration in his home of Ohio and now, through Netflix, the world. 

ZION: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: Zion Clark was born with caudal regression syndrome, leaving him without legs. On top of that, his mother gave him up for adoption immediately, which left him stranded in sometimes abusive foster homes for much of his childhood. The only outlet he had was wrestling–and he excelled at it. The 10-minute-long documentary finds Clark closing out his time at Massillon Washington High School and gives an overview of his journey thus far. It shows him training with his peers, dominating on the mat, and it even gives glimpses of how his proficiency in the sport has allowed him to open up with his classmates.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: The clearest comparison to make is with the 2005 feature-length documentary Murderball, which follows a group of athletes who compete in wheelchair rugby leading up to the 2004 Paralympic Games. But the overall tone of Zion, which is conveyed right away in the opening montage of fast-paced color-corrected images and evocative instrumental music, is very Friday Night Lights.

Performance Worth Watching: Zion Clark is an inspiration, one that more than lives up to the “No Excuses” tattoo across his back. He’s pretty soft-spoken and humble for the subject of a documentary, leaving the superlatives, tears, and prayers to his adoptive mother and coach. Instead, Zion’s actions speak for him as he goes up against competitors twice his size and doesn’t flinch.

Memorable Dialogue: “My original name was Zion Zachariah Daniels. I don’t know exactly what Zion means, but I know it’s a mountain that’s mentioned in the Bible. A huge one, too. So I figure it means, like, sturdy and strong.”

Single Best Shot: Gorgeously shot and compellingly edited, Zion is filled with shots that will stick with you. But the one that will grab your attention immediately, the one you won’t be able to shake, is the one that was wisely used up top as the titular shot: Zion pushing himself up off the gym floor to stand boldly in his wrestling gear.

Our Take: Between this and the docu-series Marching Orders, Netflix is suddenly committing to 10-minute-long docs that get in and get out, leaving you reeling and wanting more. To cut to the chase: Zion is definitely worth your 10 minutes. Every shot is evocative, thoughtfully composed, and Zion is immediately compelling. Sports stories, be they documentaries or fiction, are underdog stories, and that’s what make sports compelling storytelling subjects for every viewer. Zion unquestionably falls into the category of great underdog tales, and its brief runtime makes it essential viewing for everyone–even if you usually only prefer wrestling when it involves pyrotechnics and soap opera antics.

The only negative about Zion is also one of its biggest positives. I love that Netflix is offering up short-form content as opposed to whole seasons of 70-minute drama episodes. Zion’s runtime makes it an easy watch for everyone. But the doc also leaves you wanting more–perhaps too much more. You want to learn more about Zion’s relationship with his adoptive mother, who took him in when he was 16. You want to learn more about Zion’s first years with his coach, who says he’s been working with Zion for 8 years. You want to learn more about Zion’s post-college plans; a post-script at the end tells us he’s now wrestling at Kent State. It’s hard to tell a complete story in 10 minutes, especially with a subject as fascinating and inspirational as Zion. So in a way, this doc actually feels more like the opening to what could be a much longer piece, one that dives deeper into what’s touched on here (like, what’s up with the girl he took to homecoming, and can we hear more of his music?).

Still, the fact that you leave Zion rushing to Google to find out more means the doc more than accomplishes its goal of making you care about a person you’d never heard of before. That’s a job well done for a 10-minute piece.

Our Call: Stream it.

Where to stream Zion