Boston Beatdown: See the World Through Our Eyes - Volume II (2004 Video) User Reviews

Should be titled "The Real Reason For The Death Of The Boston Hardcore Scene"

[rayzor127 · 1/10 · 22 October 2008]

I totally agree with fedor8's review. I've been into the Boston hardcore scene for many years and these thugs in this uninformative documentary are not what the TRUE hardcore scene is about. I certainly agree with unity among your peers but this movie is an embarrassment. Nothing but a bunch of cowards with a gang mentality using hardcore music as their excuse to be violent just to impress their friends. This is no different than the college jocks who start trouble at shows because they know they have an advantage over those they confront. Not one of the "boys" in this film stand up for themselves without numbers to back them up and that is just sad. On a related note, I have Straight Edge friends and can respect their choices in life. I'm not Straight Edge but they respect my choices as well. The fool in this film who proudly states that Boston takes it to another level by performing violent acts on those who are not Straight Edge is one of the most cowardly scenes in the film. I'm sure there would be an issue if the drinkers in the crowd decided to abuse those who weren't drinking. If you are a proud Straight Edge person, then maybe you shouldn't go to shows that are held at clubs or bars where surprise, surprise, they are serving alcohol. Mind the fact that these clubs & bars wouldn't be open unless they did serve alcohol. The thugs in this film are the real reason for killing the hardcore scene in the Boston area. Most real hardcore fans are at the shows for the music and to support the bands. These losers need to respect other people at the shows if they expect the same in return. They are total hypocrites and go against everything they are supposedly standing up for.

I've never seen so many cowards in one movie before!

[fedor8 · 4 August 2007]

While "American Hardcore" was somewhat pretentious but fairly interesting, and "N. Y. H. C." amazingly entertaining and funny, "Boston Beatdown" is merely a collection of morons hitting each other. Sure, there are some interviews with a number of these tattooed macho-wannabes, and while it can certainly be fascinating to listen to clowns philosophize, the documentary lacks variation. I certainly hope the Boston hardcore scene isn't as pathetic as this: a bunch of psychopaths stitching up each other's wounds with AIDS-infected needles, after some punch-up in which 10 knuckleheads gang up on one person. Such bravery! A more appropriate title for this documentary would have been "Cowards on Parade", because nearly every fight was one-sided sadistic torture of one single guy by a "tough gang" of very insecure losers and misfits. Another title could be "Impotent, Sexually Frustrated Men Hitting Around Aimlessly".

Frankly, it's no wonder all the hardcore scenes are dead... It's not about the music anymore nor is it about having fun - unless you're a sociopathic misfit who finds joy in attacking strangers with a group of equally demented, "brave" friends.

In the end, this movie doesn't so much portray a music scene, as much as it shows how many reprobates are out there in the streets - free, instead of being locked up in jails and lunatic asylums. But hey, it's Boston, the city of liberal voters, so why be surprised that the criminals are out having their idea of fun while regular citizens watch on in dismay...

One of the most unusual scenes is when an old man (at least 60) gets shoved and kicked around by dozens of hardcore losers, just because Gramps wanted to stop the show by grabbing on to a guitar... Instead of laughing it off, i.e. Finding the incident amusing, these dumb, mostly very skinny apes started showing off their momma's-boy "machismo" by hitting a man old enough to be their grandfather!

I've always found the Straight Edge scene to be extremely silly. Personally, I neither smoke, drink, nor take drugs - and never have - and yet to consider this "a lifestyle" is inane. Besides, I've heard that many of so-called S. E.s secretly smoke or drink when no-one is watching. Isn't that sad? Pretty hilarious, as well!

Having said all this, I have to admit that even I enjoyed the "Moby attack". The only problem I had with it is that it wasn't long or vicious enough. However, these hardcore punks, as anarchistic as they may be, are not so severely detached from reality not to realize how many lawyers Moby's money can buy... Cowards...

Posi

[jason_skalski · 1/10 · 28 February 2009]

This documentary makes me sad. I am from Massachusetts, and to think that there are people like this in my state doesn't scare me it makes me ashamed of where i come from. this documentary was made by egotistical assholes. There isn't much of a hardcore scene where I'm From but It's here none the less. We take pride in our little "family as i like to call it. Much like the kids from Boston do. We,however, do not take it to the level of the FSU. Hardcore started from punk, simple as that. there is nothing less punk than forming and organization that forces their beliefs on other people. I have attended shows that involved FSU and i can tell you that THEY are not straight edge. I want to make that clear because everyone turns around and says that Straight edge is a gang blah blah. this movie just proves to all the skeptics and conservatives that it is.

"It Doesn't matter where you're From..It matters where you're at." Let me remind you that this man the ,singer from blood for blood, is an alcoholic junkie much like Sid vicious. he is not a credible representative of the Boston hardcore scene. why they don't have frank pierce speaking on behalf of the scene is beyond me. the point i think I'm failing to make here is that straight edge is not represented by this home movie. There are a lot of positive things about the Massachusetts hardcore scene i did not see any shows from bands like "the hope conspiracy" or "step Forward" these bands believe in straight edge and every show i have attended has been nothing like the ones i saw on this movie. a better documentary about both sides of the straight edge scene is one by the national geographic channel called inside straight edge.

Now I'm not saying that the scene is all good. its not but i believe that not all Boston hardcore was fairly represented here. these are the jocks that ruined the shows for people like me and my friends.