This snowboarding doc scores with its dazzling array of snowboarding stunts and beautiful scenery, but loses points with shameless product placement and an overlong runtime.
This snowboarding doc scores with its dazzling array of snowboarding stunts and beautiful scenery, but loses points with shameless product placement and an overlong runtime.
When snowboarding first rose to popularity in the 1980s, many people didn't know what to make of it -- taking the thrashed-out style of skateboarding and moving it to the ski slopes, snowboarding was hardly welcomed by the old-school winter sports establishment who regarded 'boarders as punks and misfits. But as more people took up the sport and the extreme sports community developed a following that couldn't be ignored, a grudging acceptance of the sport (and the skills of the best board
riders) followed, and now snowboarding is one of the world's leading winter sports. First Descent is a documentary in which some of the pioneers of the snowboarding movement (among them Nick Perata, Shawn Farmer, and Terje Haakonsen) talk about the past, present, and future of the sport with some of the top new riders on the slopes (including Hannah Teter and Shaun White). But along with sharing some friendly conversation, these snowboarding legends get together for the trip of a lifetime -- a journey to a beautiful Alaskan mountain range that has never been skied or 'boarded before, giving the veteran riders a chance to show that they still have what it takes, and the new stars a challenge no one has ever faced before. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
First Descent comes off as an overlong, overstuffed promo for an 'industry' that hasn't needed promoting since the movie's target audience was in diapers.
An adequate if slightly overlong history of the sport, Descent adheres to the same storytelling trajectory as documentary predecessors on surfing and skateboarding.
At almost two hours, First Descent still moves along briskly, offering something for everyone, including the skeptical crowd that still thinks all snowboarders smoke pot and listen to Black Flag.
Despite some moments of truly athletic beauty First Descent is a fairly empty sports documentary that celebrates the gloss of the lifestyle, but doesn't do much to try and get under its skin.
Woah. Gnarly. How many times do you hear anyone say that any more? Here's a movie for those who can't get enough of snowboarding, documentaries about sports, or people whose vocabularies include "gnarly." Because "First Descent" contains all three.
If you are in to any board sports you'll like this documentary. Gives a good look on the history of snowboarding and the effects the new generation of riders will have on the sport's future. Not to mention a super fun soundtrack.
I absolutely love this movie. It's a great way of expressing all the shit that the pioneers, (Jake Burton, Sims, etc... had to go through to make riding what it is today. everybody should see it.
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