Netflix’s latest sports film “Rez Ball “, with a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, makes its debut in the platform’s Global Top 10. The movie is inspired by the nonfiction book Canyon Dreams: A Basketball Season on the Navajo Nation by The New York Times journalist Michael Powell. It tells the story of a Native American high school basketball team from Chuska, New Mexico, who face the challenge of losing their star player while vying for the state championship. LeBron James served as one of the producers, and the cast includes Kauchani Bratt, Jessica Matten, Julia Jones, Amber Midthunder, and Kiowa Gordon.
Following its September 27 release, Rez Ball quickly entered Netflix’s Global Top 10. As of the week from September 30 to October 6, the film ranked sixth in Netflix’s Global Top 10 films (English), garnering 3.9 million views and 7.4 million hours watched.
Rez Ball is strongly grounded in Native American traditions, focusing on the Chuska Warriors, a high school basketball team with deep Native American roots. The film was created by Native American storytellers, with direction by Sydney Freeland, a Navajo filmmaker, who co-wrote the script with Sterlin Harjo, an American Seminole and co-creator of FX’s Reservation Dogs. Furthermore, parts of Rez Ball were shot within the Navajo Nation, with the endorsement and backing of the local sovereign tribal nations.
In Netflix’s Global Top 10, Rez Ball premiered with an impressive 91% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and an 85% audience rating. Reviews for Rez Ball commend it as an inspiring underdog tale, filled with heartfelt moments and captivating basketball scenes.