Ben Stokes: Phoenix from the Ashes review: A sombre account of what it’s like to be Ben Stokes

3/5

Story: The documentary chronicles the life and career of Ben Stokes, the English all-rounder who was recently made the Test captain of the England Cricket team. It also focuses on the off-field issues that plagued him and various tragedies that affected his mental health.

Review: Almost every major successful sports team invariably has a player that gives them that extra ‘X’ factor, something that gives them that little bit of extra edge to win silverware. For the all-conquering Barcelona team of 2009 it was Lionel Messi, for the Chicago Bulls in the 80s and 90s it was Michael Jordan, and for the New England Patriots it was Tom Brady — legends of the sporting world who have left an indelible mark in their respective teams. While Ben Stokes is still a long way away from being revered in the same regard as the aforementioned legends, he is certainly well on his way to becoming a true cricketing great.

The documentary has not spared any expenses when it comes to production value, nor have they left out important high-profile interviews. The producers have also obtained footage of the high-octane matches to add plenty of tension and drama to the documentary. One would imagine these as the perfect ingredients for creating a compelling documentary about one of cricket’s most popular figures today. While it is the case for most parts, there are moments in the documentary where it suffers from a sudden change of pace at the most inopportune moments. This can partly be pinpointed to its non-linear format.

The documentary begins with Stokes opening about the mental health issues that forced him to take a sabbatical from the sport, and he details the various incidents that contributed to the same. The thing that stood out was his tumultuous relationship with the British tabloids. Two separate incidents stand out — the assault charges levelled against him after an incident outside a club in Bristol and The Sun’s article about the horrifying and tragic past of Stokes’s mother. While the former was just the tabloids sensationalising an incident about a celebrity being caught in a ruckus, the second was evidently in poor taste. The story about how his mother’s first husband murdered his half-siblings and committed suicide in New Zealand was one that was deeply traumatising for his mother for obvious reasons.

An article in poor taste by The Sun is not unheard of, considering their infamy in Merseyside, Liverpool for their much-criticised coverage of the Hillsborough tragedy. In fact, there has been a ban/boycott of the tabloid in the region for decades. The documentary does not delve too much into The Sun’s love-hate relationship with the people of England, which would probably require a documentary of its own. Where this documentary truly shines is when it focuses on Ben Stokes the match winner – the incredible victory in the 2019 World Cup final against New Zealand, and of course ‘that’ legendary innings in the 2019 Ashes at Headingley. These clips are truly exhilarating and are further enhanced, thanks to some clever editing.

Verdict: An incredibly moving documentary about the mercurial career of Ben Stokes with great moments sprinkled across its runtime. If not for a few inconsistencies in its pacing, Ben Stokes: Phoenix from the Ashes could have been one of the most stellar sports documentaries in recent times.