The Drive Still Casts a Long Shadow

MOVIE REVIEW
Elway
TV-14 -     

Genre: Documentary, Sports
Year Released: 2025
Runtime: 1h 39m
Director(s): Ken Rodgers, Chris Weaver
Where to Watch: premiering on Netflix on December 22, 2025

RAVING REVIEW: ELWAY, without question, is the definitive documentary on one of the NFL’s most iconic quarterbacks, and in many ways, it fulfills exactly what it promises. The film traces John Elway’s career with an obvious reverence for its subject, moving from his early dominance at Stanford through the defining highs and lows of his sixteen seasons with the Denver Broncos. For longtime football fans, the stories will feel instantly recognizable. For casual viewers, the film provides a clean, accessible timeline of a career that helped shape modern quarterback mythology. What it does not attempt, however, is to reinterpret that mythology or challenge it.

The documentary is told largely through Elway’s own memories and reflections, supported by commentary from teammates, coaches, and football insiders. That approach gives the film intimacy and authority, but it also establishes its boundaries. This is Elway’s story as he understands it and as the league has long framed it: talent meeting pressure, failure breeding obsession, and perseverance culminating in redemption. The narrative arc is familiar, but it remains effective because Elway’s career genuinely lends itself to that mode of storytelling. Few quarterbacks experienced such prolonged public scrutiny before finally silencing it.

The early portions of the film are among its strongest. Elway’s collegiate career and initial entry into professional football are handled with an appreciation for how rare his skill set was at the time. The documentary emphasizes not just his arm strength and athleticism, but the expectations placed on him from the moment he entered the league. He wasn’t simply drafted to play quarterback; he was drafted to save a franchise. That pressure becomes the emotional throughline of the film, even when it isn’t explicitly stated.

Where ELWAY begins to feel constrained is in how little it interrogates the cost of that pressure. The film acknowledges Super Bowl losses and public criticism, but it rarely lingers on them in a way that feels psychologically significant. Heartbreak is presented as fuel, not damage. Frustration becomes motivation rather than reshaping identity or relationships. That framing keeps the film inspirational, but it also smooths over the messier human consequences that often make sports documentaries resonate beyond the game itself.

The middle stretch of the documentary, which covers Elway’s repeated Super Bowl disappointments, is complete but emotionally muted. These moments are positioned as obstacles rather than inflection points. The narrative insists that failure was always temporary and that success was inevitable with enough time and determination. While that perspective aligns with Elway’s eventual outcome, it diminishes the tension of the journey. The audience never truly doubts the destination, which flattens the stakes.

When the film reaches its final act, focusing on Elway’s late-career championships, the tone shifts fully into a mode of validation. Redemption is treated as both personal and historical, cementing Elway's status not only as a great quarterback but also as a symbol of perseverance. These sections are satisfying, especially for fans who lived through those seasons, but they are also the most predictable. The film celebrates triumph without asking what might have been lost along the way or how narrowly success can be defined when filtered through championships alone.

One of the documentary’s most notable omissions is any real exploration of Elway’s post-playing legacy beyond surface acknowledgment. His transition into an executive role is mentioned, but not examined with the same rigor as his playing career. The film seems more comfortable reinforcing the legend than complicating it. That choice keeps the documentary focused, but it also leaves a sense that the story is being selectively framed rather than examined to completion.

ELWAY ultimately succeeds as a comprehensive overview rather than a revealing character study. It honors its subject, contextualizes his achievements, and reinforces why he remains such a towering figure in football history. What it does not do is surprise. It doesn’t challenge conventional wisdom about greatness, leadership, or legacy. It assumes the audience already agrees on Elway’s importance and builds from there.

As an entry in the growing catalog of modern sports documentaries, ELWAY lands squarely in the middle tier. It’s well-made, respectful, and informative, but it rarely pushes beyond reverence into reflection. For fans of John Elway or the Denver Broncos, it’s an engaging and satisfying trip down memory lane. For viewers seeking deeper insight or a more critical examination of sports mythology, it may feel too carefully managed.

At the end of the day, ELWAY is exactly what it sets out to be: an authoritative account of a legendary career. Its strengths lie in its accessibility, clarity, and cohesion. Its limitations come from its reluctance to interrogate the very myth it celebrates.

Please visit https://linktr.ee/overlyhonestr for more reviews.

You can follow me on Letterboxd, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. My social media accounts can also be found on most platforms by searching for 'Overly Honest Reviews'.

I’m always happy to hear from my readers; please don't hesitate to say hello or send me any questions about movies.

[photo courtesy of NETFLIX]

DISCLAIMER:
At Overly Honest Movie Reviews, we value honesty and transparency. Occasionally, we receive complimentary items for review, including DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, Vinyl Records, Books, and more. We assure you that these arrangements do not influence our reviews, as we are committed to providing unbiased and sincere evaluations. We aim to help you make informed entertainment choices regardless of our relationship with distributors or producers.

Amazon Affiliate Links:
Additionally, this site contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may receive a commission. This affiliate arrangement does not affect our commitment to honest reviews and helps support our site. We appreciate your trust and support in navigating these links.