Parents' Guide to

Zion

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Exceptional short docu tells teen's story of perseverance.

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Is It Any Good?

Our review:
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This evocative, inspiring story is an utterly superb watch. Zion's humble, soft-spoken nature totally contradicts his enormous triumphs in life and in wrestling, and that makes him all the more intriguing to viewers. It also means that a good portion of the documentary is spent hearing from people other than Zion himself, most notably the coach he credits with helping him adapt wrestling techniques to his unique abilities and compete where logic says he shouldn't be able to. Zion is a story that will touch every viewer who watches and will change the way you perceive ability diversity.

That said, there is one thing lacking: more. More details, more insight, more TIME. This documentary runs all of 10 minutes in length, just enough to get you emotionally invested before cutting you off with a brief postscript about Zion's enrollment at Kent State Tuscarawas. You're left wondering about his wrestling experience at the collegiate level, his plans for the future, his family life, and his possible transition to the kind of mentor he found in his coach. But there are worse problems to have than wanting more time with this inspiring young man, especially when you're watching with your own kids.

TV Details

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