21st April 2007 Gareth White
The Road is unlike any other bodyboarding film I have seen.
For months I have been staring at screen shots from the film, itching to watch the project in its entirety. The images released to promote the film are mind blowing. If you've seen them or have been lucky enough to watch the
preview then you will know what I mean.
The film follows the journey of four of Australia's most talented young bodyboarders as they embark on a quest filled with life threatening surfing and self discovery.
Brenden Newton, Glen Thurston, Harry Dixon, and Michael Novy travel to some of the most remote and treacherous locations the Outback has to offer in hope of finding the perfect ride. There are numerous cameo appearances by renowned bodyboarders, but the one's to grab my attention were those by Brandon Foster and Andre Botha. Although both are brief Brandon gets the biggest mention and accompanies the boys on a few of their missions, going by "The Bru" for his uber chilled nature.
During the film both Brenden Newton and Glen Thurston narrate, giving viewers a good idea of what they were experiencing at different stages of their expedition. I enjoyed the story telling aspect of the film because it reminded me of the trips I had taken as a kid, the crazy things we got up to and the good times we had.
Now for the good stuff!
The riders rip, the waves are monstrously epic, the filming breath-taking and after watching it I have been left incredibly humbled. These guys are pushing the limits, doing what bodyboarding is renowned for - late take-offs, deep pits and launching where others fear to tread! Australia has some of the heaviest breaks in the World and The Road boys seem to live without fear, dropping into many possibly life threatening barrels without hesitation. One such beast is located some 14 kilometers out to sea and truly separates the men from the boys.
They attribute this fearlessness to their belief in divine protection. The Road crew, are devout Christians and firmly believe that whilst on their journey they were protected and guided by God. The message of their Faith comes through strongly during the narration. Some may find this daunting, maybe even a little off-putting, but I feel that it doesn't detract from the overall impression left by the film.
Initially the only aspect of the film I found fault with was the soundtrack. I felt that it didn't pack enough punch; it lacked a certain ear piercing va-va-voom usually associated with bodyboarding films. After watching the film a few more times it has grown on me. I now feel it adds to the overall serene atmosphere throughout the DVD.
Overall The Road forms a complete package with enough action to give The Terminator chills, jaw-dropping bodyboarding, stunning imagery and a soundtrack to soothe any soul. The benchmark has been set!
Peace.
6,404 views
 | Stephan Becker 23rd April 2007 17:45 |
| yep!very different but in a good way. Something everybody should have in their collection of dvd's. Like Kruger said its a very down to earth movie with some very complex editing!! | |
 | Nicholas Kruger 22nd April 2007 15:20 |
| Shame man ......... you boys in S.A only now getting this DVD? Man we saw it way back when ......... Difenitaly one of the sickest, most hard core ( Surfing) and down to earth film I've ever seen. Ol Brendon is a mad man !!!!!!!!! mad man I say. If you can get your grubby paws on this, you'll never want to let it go. Sick DVD. | |
| Nicholas Kruger 22nd April 2007 15:19 |
| Shame man ......... you boys in S.A only now getting this DVD? Man we saw it way back when ......... Difenitaly one of the sickest, most hard core ( Surfing) and down to earth film I've ever seen. Ol Brendon is a mad man !!!!!!!!! mad man I | |