The documentary tells the positive, negative, and personal stories that followed the 2011 Vancouver riots.

The effects of the Vancouver Canucks 2011 run to the Stanley Cup Final have been felt to this day. No team in franchise history was as deep, effective, or powerful as them. Many fanbases outside of Vancouver have even claimed that this was one of the best teams to ultimately not win a Stanley Cup. The 2010-11 team took home four individual player awards, slayed dragons, and wrangled the city of Vancouver out of their seats and into the streets. Being the franchise’s most recent visitor to the Stanley Cup Finals, this team will always have a spot within the beating heart of Canucks nation.

The impact of this team’s could-have-been-championship will be felt for decades, but so will the events that carried on after it.

On June 15, 2011, the lives of more than just members of the Vancouver Canucks were changed. Regardless of how far the Canucks make it, making the playoffs or not, whispered conversations involving the words “riot,” “flip cars,” or “burn the city down” always follow. The riots that followed Game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final are an inescapable shadow that lurks behind every good Canucks team. Yet, just as the teams themselves are stalked by this unshakeable presence of past reputations, so are many of the individuals who involved themselves within the aftermath.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUDMUkpNFo8[/embed]

Asia Youngman and Kathleen Jayme’s documentary, I’m Just Here for the Riot, starts by setting the stage for the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals, adorning screens with colourful splashes of blue and green. Fans’ cheers can be heard through the TV as flags are waved and watch parties are filmed. Former Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo even makes an appearance. However, like that scene in a thriller movie, when the main character makes a sudden realization that not everything is as it seems, the tone of the documentary shifts. Boston scores once, twice, three times, and then four. Then, the city is set ablaze.

The documentary follows a series of recounts from rioters, members of the Vancouver Police Department, and defenders of The Bay. Clips of cars being flipped, windows being shattered, and things being set on fire are weaved through the film as stories are shared.

“Something almost wants to crack,” documentary filmmaker Thom Stitt said of his experience being at the riots. “I could have just taken my camera and thrown it down and kicked it down the street. It was just this moment of ‘I need to do something.’”

Various stories were shared throughout the documentary of rioters whose lives had changed since partaking in the uproar. Charges were placed on individuals regardless of whatever point they were at in their lives, but now, over a decade after the riots occurred, the general consensus among the perpetrators is that they’ve accepted the consequences of their actions.

Vancouver Police Chief from 2007 to 2015, Jim Chu, also shared his side of the story in I’m Just Here for the Riot. "At the time, they just did it and later faced the consequences," he said of the rioters.

Negativity and violence were not the only things that made up this film. Stories of heroes and defenders were retold as well. Robert McKay, graced with the title “The Bay Hero” for his efforts in defending the city from rioters, recalled his experience post-Game 7.

"I was really mad at that point," McKay says in the documentary of the actions of the rioters. "It was so disgraceful and cowardly what people were doing." It was these feelings that propelled him to defend the city.

What feels most redeeming about these events is what came towards the tail-end of the documentary. Barely a day after the riots ransacked the city, individuals came together to help clean up the mess left behind. While not every corner could be cleaned, messages of hope and kindness were left behind on boarded-up windows in hopes of dismantling the fear that dripped through the walls of every building in Vancouver the night before.

This documentary isn’t solely about a riot. Nor is it about how a sports team’s loss resulted in a city’s near-catastrophic collapse. Instead, it’s about delivering individual stories to an audience that has had burning questions for rioters and heroes alike on that day. It seeks to bring some sort of conclusion to an issue opened up over a decade ago. I’m Just Here for the Riot leaves us with a better idea of why this occurred and where the city is now that time has passed. Although, as I’m sure all Canucks fans think, the conclusion to 2011 will not come until the Stanley Cup has been lifted by the boys in blue and green.

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

Canucks Announce Date And Opponents For 2024 Young Stars Classic

Canucks & Rick Tocchet Haven't Started Extension Discussion

Canucks Make Changes To Coaching Staff

Canucks Goaltending Depth A Big Question Mark Heading Into The 2024 Offseason

REPORT: Canucks Struggling To Meet Hurricanes Price For Necas

The Curious Case of Former Canucks Defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Josh Bloom Scores 2024 Memorial Cup Winning Goal

Canucks Must Be Careful During 2024 Offseason To Avoid Future Cap Issues

Vancouver Canucks Relinquish Rights To Viktor Persson

Josh Bloom, Saginaw Spirit Punch Their Ticket To The 2024 Memorial Cup Final

Former Canucks Defender Making A Case For The 2024 Conn Smythe Trophy