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.
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12/06/05
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First Descent (2005)
52
%
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Reviews Counted:58
Fresh:30
Rotten:28
Average Rating:5.6/10
Consensus: 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.
Theatrical Release:Dec 2, 2005 Limited
Box Office: $739,690
Synopsis: The docu-drama First Descent chronicles the rebellious, inspiring and sometimes controversial rise of snowboarding--as seen through the eyes of the snowboarders setting the standards and breaking... [More]
Starring: Terje Haakonsen, Nick Peralta, Hannah Teter, Shaun White
Director: Kemp Curly, Kevin Harrison
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Reviews for First Descent
They’re amazing athletes.
12/05/05
Top CriticI don't need Dave Grohl's screaming to convince me Håkonsen's 60 degree plunge down a 7,000 foot peak is super awesome.
12/03/05
Though I admire the athletes, the film failed to capture my interest in them or the sport.
12/03/05
An adequate if slightly overlong history of the sport, Descent adheres to the same storytelling trajectory as documentary predecessors on surfing and skateboarding.
12/02/05
Top CriticWhile snowboarding enthusiasts will eat up every minute of its two-hour running time, it's thin stuff for the unconverted.
12/02/05
It doesn't get gnarlier than this.
12/02/05
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.
12/02/05
At its best, fairly often, the movie rises above hammy devices.
12/02/05
The endless snowboarding depicted in First Descent was probably much more fun to do than it is to watch.
12/02/05
Vastly entertaining, [if] slightly overlong.
12/02/05
An overlong and surprisingly dull documentary about snowboarding.
12/02/05
Top CriticAdrenaline rules, dude. If only the movie would give the audience more of it.
12/02/05
Top CriticFirst Descent might become tedious for anyone wondering what all the fuss is about. But for those who have felt the thrill of carving an "S" down the side of a mountain on a snowboard, this movie is cheaper than a lift ticket.
12/02/05
What should have been a thrilling 90-minute sport adventure runs on for 20 more repetitive minutes. First Descent is exciting, but less would surely have been more.
12/02/05
Top CriticEqual parts historical retrospective and ESPN-style thrill ride.
12/02/05
Top CriticIt's a sweaty-palmed blast watching the five daredevils risk their lives to be the first person to hurtle down what was thought to be unridable terrain. Hold your breath and hang on.
12/02/05
There's probably a good snowboarding movie coming some day. This isn't it.
12/02/05
but the filmmakers feel compelled to turn it into a be-all, end-all piece with a history lesson of the sport that feels curiously incomplete and superficial.
12/02/05
As documentaries about extreme sports go, First Descent seems a middle-range effort.
12/02/05
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