大象传媒

The centuries old clash of minds between Oxford and Cambridge is known for boiling over into physical clashes - like rugby and the boat race. Steven Riley's documentary, Blue Blood draws attention to a lesser known contest, the annual Varsity boxing match. Following a group of fresh-faced Oxford novices in the weeks leading up to the tournament, there's enough insight into these kid's lives to ensure that you care about them when they finally get in the ring.

Meet Kavannah, a gentle red-headed Philosophy student who looks about 14. He's inexplicably drawn to boxing, even though it upsets his girlfriend and he doubts he'll ever become a 'blue' (the prestigious title awarded to Varsity competitors). Meet Fred, a working class biochemist who doubts his own brainpower and boxes because "I've always been good at punching, I like hitting things". Meet Justin, an astrophysicist who's graduated from the US Airforce Academy, enjoys jumping out of planes and scuba diving with great white sharks, and whose only weakness is being really, really annoying. These aren't toffs or geeks, but normal insecure young men, and it's no fun watching them get punched in the face. At its best, Blue Blood just shows that boxing is a particularly tough sport to lose at.

"GENERIC BUT SATISFYING"

The documentary makes the students so sympathetic, that it doesn't properly investigate the stranger side of the Oxford/Cambridge world. Why is their rivalry more significant than, say, the one between Birmingham and Loughborough universities? Why isn't more made of the 'Town Vs. Gown' match between students and Oxford locals, or the showcase fight against dolled-up young Sandhurst officers with a bagpiper in tow? By brushing these peculiarities aside, Blue Blood could be telling the story of any local sports team - one of tough training, physical endurance and determination in the face of adversity.

Blue Blood is released in UK cinemas on Friday 11th May 2007.