‘Make It To Munich’ review: Rousing doc follows injured teen footballer getting back in the saddle

Dir/scr: Martyn Robertson. UK. 2025. 93mins

In 2023, Scottish teenage footballer Ethan Walker was residing the dream in school in New York State when he was hit by a automobile and left with life-threatening accidents. A mere 9 months later, he got down to cycle the 1200km from Glasgow to Munich for Scotland’s very important opening sport towards Germany within the 2024 Euro finals. That journey is the inspiration upon which director Martyn Robertson has constructed the participating documentary Make It To Munich. The movie takes its cue from Walker’s persona, and oozes positivity because it slowly develops an emotional kick and turns into each an ending and a brand new starting for the irrepressible younger man. 

 Takes its cue from Walker’s persona and oozes positivity

The mixture of an impossible-odds human curiosity story and the hopes-of-a-nation soccer fixture ought to create industrial attraction for the movie in Scotland, following its world premire on the closing gala of the Glasgow Movie Pageant. Elswhere, dwelling leisure could also be a extra snug match.

Robertson beforehand produced the documentaries Marty Goes To Hollywood (2015) and Journey The Waves (2021), and makes his directorial debut right here. He wastes little time in attending to the guts of Walker’s story. Childhood dwelling movies reveal a younger boy who liked soccer and was proficient on the sport. In September 2023, aged 17, he was on a soccer scholarship at Genesee Group School in New York state when he was hit by a car whereas crossing the road and sustained intensive accidents, together with two mind bleeds. His mom Jaclyn was knowledgeable that he might not reside. Pictures depict Walker weeks after the incident, shockingly emaciated as he might neither communicate nor swallow correctly. 

Like Walker, nevertheless, this isn’t a movie that dwells on the previous or surrenders to the destructive. The main focus may be very a lot on the longer term because the younger man prepares to embark on his massive cycle. Scotland vice captain John McGinn entrusts him with transporting the pennant that they are going to current to the German captain in Munich. Walker can be accompanied by sports activities surgeon Gordon Mackay, ardent Scotland supporter Stephen Collie, the filmmaker and a posse of volunteers making up his assist group.

Make It To Munich is typical in its strategy as we comply with the progress of their journey. On display screen titles clock the rising kilometres coated and diminishing variety of days till the massive match. Animation conveys the route travelled because the quartet enterprise from Scotland to the Netherlands and Germany. Alongside the best way, it’s all largely uneventful – strangers are pleasant, the climate often takes a flip in the direction of the inclement, riverbanks flood, there are punctures.

With no massive logistical dramas, the main focus falls on Walker, his outstanding stamina and countless optimism. A major component of the movie is Walker’s relationship with the paternalistic Mackay, the inventor of the InternalBrace for ligament restore, who performed a key position within the velocity of Walker’s restoration and rehabilitation. On their travels he gives assist, encouragement and in the end a actuality test in regards to the possibilities of Walker resuming his footballing profession.

One of the vital interesting facets of the movie is the best way it captures this male camaraderie and the cracks of their stoical endurance. The little moments when exhaustion is acknowledged, limitations are reached and a tear is shed give the movie its heat. All through all of it, Walker is unstoppable and the movie serves as a tribute to his inspirational spirit.