richard coleman it is a bad and barbaric documentary that highlights the brutality of Irish travelers but it is also one sided documentary, it focuses a lot on the Quinn's (Quinn McDonaghs) and not so much on the Joyce's and Nevin's. The fights were good in the documentary but some of them are mismatches the fight at the start with James Quinn and the man they call the Lurcher was an example of that. Fair play to James Quinn i think is a good bare knuckle boxer , but the best fight in the documentary is the one with cowboys martin and the Nevin man who knocks out martin eventually It would have been good to have seen James try to avenge his friends defeat and challenge Nevin but unfortunately this doesn't happen i personally think Nevin would have defeated James like he did martin . I think the video is completely ridiculous and shows how violent Irish travelers and English gypsies are but saying that maybe it is better fighting bare knuckle rather than shooting someone over arguments either way it makes me proud to be a ''country man''

Alexandre_3000 Several comment reviews say that this is raw, far from it. Well mounted, multi sided (no affiliation) and a fabulous close insight on how fists are chosen in stead of guns. It's the work of a decade of filming reduced into a hour and a half. This is a DOCUMENTARY with capital letters. And honestly, its a remarkable portrait of not only boxing fights but also of one of the most intriguing sectors of the UK population-. Of course if you are a fan of someone always telling you their opinion and how you must face the present situation, then this isn't for you... And the only thing raw in this is the felling of real life's being documented.

dowisk A great film that i will watch again and again, the low rating is just not justified, this is pure adrenaline and compassion at the same time. A raw in depth documentary not to be missed, a look into the normally very private lives of the Irish travellers. This isn't just fight after fight it shows why and how the family's solve there feuds. some of the footage is a bit sketchy but takes nothing away from the film if any thing adds to the gritty compelling nature of this feature. Although i would say this isn't for the feint hearted and contains some very brutal real life bare knuckle fights, this is still a very good film that every one should see.

john Like many people, I watched numerous fights between Travellers on Youtube. I never really understood what motivated two men to stand in an old, mucky lane - and throw down until both were bloody and bruised. 'Knuckle' provides the back-story to why all of these fights went down.It begins in 1997 when the director is asked to film a wedding for a then 18 year old, Michael Quinn McDonagh. The footage for the documentary spans over a decade up to 2009, documenting a cross-family feud between the Quinn McDonaghs and the Joyces. Both the Quinn McDonaghs, and Joyces are related. But this does not stop the ensuing battle that would rage on between the families up to present day. Both families create video tapes, to taunt the opposing family and 'send for' a representative to fight. The fights are documented, some ending in violent fashion, while others ending in a mutual agreement for a draw. The first documented fight shows James Quinn of the Quinn McDonaghs and Paddy Joyce, throw down in a quiet country lane. The fight is short, but brutal. Although it is violent, both fighters fight under fair rules - which ensures that no head-butting, biting or kicking is allowed - and when a man is defeated, the fight is over. This would set the stage for the rest of the documentary. The film is fresh, and shows an often unseen side of the Irish Traveller community. Big money is often up for grabs, one fight alone has a purse of £120,000 - larger than the purses of many of today's professional boxers. Anyone who has seen the Irish traveller fights on Youtube, and wants to get a better understanding of the story behind these fights - should watch this documentary. Credit to the director - as this is the culmination of 12 years work. I can't think of any other documentary that is shot over such a long period.