Watch: Video showcases "superhuman" Paralympians
(CBS News) On one level, this video trailer produced by the U.K.'s Channel 4 to promote the Paralympics is similar to its Olympic ad counterparts: dramatic shots of athletes preparing to compete, slo-mo beauty shots of pre-game workouts and a thumping soundtrack.
But that's where the similarities end. The 90-second promo, driven by a pulsing Public Enemy soundtrack, quickly cuts to decidedly different images: a soldier being thrown by an explosion, an ominous ultrasound, and a car flipping over on a highway.
The images are interspersed with text: "Forget everything you thought you knew about strength. Forget everything you thought you knew about humans. It's time to do battle. Meet the Superhumans."
The heart-rending ad, which already has more than half a million views on YouTube, captures the amazing dedication and perseverance of Paralympic athletes. It also reinforces how vital the Games, which kick off tonight, are to the competitors.
"Sports is the thing that got me out of the hospital," wheelchair rugby player Nick Springer told CBSNews.com last month. "It more or less saved my life."
