‘Hurts like Hell’ Netflix Series Review - Gruesome Fidelity

Hurts like Hell is a very different type of show. It embodies the spirit of docuseries by foretelling the story as it combines the dramatization of events with the interview format. The show wastes no time in attracting your attention with the opening sequence with that of a child’s boxing match from the perspective of the ‘gurus’ or the popularly referred bettors. At first, one might question the frequency of interviews as one might feel that it is pulling you away from the moment. But it eases itself as time passes and you realize its effectiveness.

The show doesn’t compromise on its credibility, by interviewing real like boxing promoters, boxers, gamblers, and even the victims who suffered due to the industry as a whole. Every interview holds a vital piece of information to understand the world of Thai boxing, especially that of the ‘gurus. It is much more than what looks at the surface as it digs through the scandalous true-life events it inspires itself from and presents it in its creative way different yet not so different from the real-life events.

Its biggest strength is that it manages to keep itself relevant aside from the interviews with the dramatized storyline it provides that covers the nature of events of the truth, yet isn’t associated with its likeliness. Each episode feels like an experience of its own, with the show at times reinterpreting the same course of action from a different POV. So even if you know what is going to happen in this instance, you’ll still be engaged as to how vast the change is from a different angle and a thought process, while still accommodating new information completely changing the dynamism of a situation.

The series is very poignant in its way as its displays the brutality of the sport both inside and outside the ring. The raw boxing inside the ring is dangerous yet elegant. The intensity of the fights is great, and so is the versatility of attacks. It’s a different game for spectators and the boxers, and so are the stakes. The show does a good job of accumulating the different experiences as it puts things forward in an empathic way assisted by the video-audio format from the interviews.

It is certainly overwhelming what it teaches us about the consequences and how it can get difficult to get on with our normal lives when everything is at stake, especially the family. Betting is what carries this industry, but it is what destroys the sport as well. Despite being the national sport, it is famous for all the wrong reasons, and you can understand why. To the general public eye, it is a gateway to crime, and the overwhelming power of the ‘big gurus’ concur with this fact.

The Muay Thai world is all about opportunities and consequences. The way one perceives is how it shapes the industry.

The flawed beauty still exists in what was once a great sport.

Final Score – [7.5/10]
Reviewed by - Devyansh Anand
Follow @AnandDevy on Twitter