This Untold didn’t grab me at first. I don’t care about sailing. I’ve watched some bits of the America’s Cup here and there, but never paid much attention. I’ll watch a documentary about just about anything but this one really didn’t grab me to start.

I think that is just the way it is told. The opening of the film doesn’t go that much into the history of the sport, just focusing on the legend of the Cup and how much these Australians cared about it. There are a few nods to some other races that involved Australians, but the film really could have given us more on the history of the Cup and the history of US dominance. (Is it really members of the New York Yacht club that compete? Or is it hired guns? Etc.)

The film picks up once the boat design enters into it. But it really doesn’t get super compelling until the race is about to start and the Americans try some hijinks. Because it’s a 1984 sailing race, there isn’t much footage of the race (it seems) so much of the footage is just talking heads, both past and present. Still, they manage to make this part compelling and entertaining.

I think this is an interesting story. And I’m glad that the film gets more entertaining as it goes on. But I do feel like this is the weakest Untold we’ve watched yet. And I think the race deserves a better film, a more compelling film, a film that is a little more in-depth. (This movie is 83 minutes.)

5/10