Review by Zeev Gur
3.7.2005
Riders
Aaron Hadlow (freestyle), Ammy Naff, Josh Mulcoy(surf and kite) and Peter Trow. Includes guest appearances.
Locations
Caribbean Islands, Central and Southern Baja, and all along the diverse California Coastline (aka ñ heaven)
Music: Manatees, Lexicon, Custom Made Scare, Slowride, The Revolutionary Hydra, J Boggie, Alan Charing, Blazing Haley, Swamburger and El Centro.
The review:
Peter Trow delivers a great movie about one of the best aspects of this diverse sport. Note that I did not use the term video ñ this is really more of a movie, which attempts to capture the magical quality of wave kiting. Peter, who is a ripping wave kiter, delivers a 16mm film, which makes for a very high quality product. If you have friends who donít kite and wonder why you chance the sick conditions, have then over for a few beers and pop this movie in. You will need to add a bit of commentary, but if they know anything about nature and wind powered sports you can focus on supplying the cold beers.
At the risk of being non politically correct, I will compare this movie to, errr, adult entertainment. In my opinion, the sport of wave kiting happens to stimulate the same part of our brain as the other stuff does. This movie does not waste time with a complex plot line, goofing around, discussing different types of gear or other filler. It gets right to the action and delivers the best action possible: my only wish is that it was longer. Itís wall to wall epic kiting. The locations are insane. The film gives you a bit of the freestyle and contest scene to show the multiple dimensions of the sport but does not linger on thisÖ.thank god, once youíve seen one handle pass, youíve seen them all. Like with good porn, it them quickly returns to the best stuff possible ñ the eye candy of epic wave kiting.
Peter being a California bro, has a keen nose for the scenery that really impresses. I wish I had a big screen TV to see this sweet movie. The North and central CA shots are my personal favorites, as Iíve seen most of these places in person. Just beautiful. You can smell the ocean in some of those shots.
My personal favorite is the heavy day at Scottís creek where only Josh is out on the water. I was at Scottís the day the footage was shot. I did not have the testicular fortitude to go out: it was just too big and heavy. The sound of the water from the cliffs above Scottís creek was intense. There is a good reason that Josh is the only kite out there. The fact that he makes bottom turns and smacks some of those massive lips is truly amazing. His fluid style, refined over many years of professional surfing ñ check out the bonus sections of the video ñ is very evident in his kiting style. The quality of the footage is really impressive: as the light condition of the day was less then optimal.
Speaking of style, this movie captures what I consider to be the most fluid type of kiting. Hard charging bottom turns ñ to the point where they go so fast that there is slack created in the kite lines ñ the hand dragging in the water and the sick off the lip smack.
It takes a long time to get the timing right, to get the right kite control and to combine all of this with the wave shape/speed. Like all pros, these guys make it look so easy. Trust me, itís not.
The movie makes you feel like you went on an epic trip with your good friends. My only wish is that the movie was longer and I got to travel to the sick spots where this film was shot. Great product. Give us more!!!!
The reviewer background:
It helps to know a bit about the person doing the review, as it helps to put it in context. I am a N. California kiter who loves the waves. I have a strong passion for the sport, especially the wave discipline. I will trade 100 freestyle sessions in butter water for 1 good wave day (ok, maybe only 75, but you get the idea). I also love kite porn ñ have seen pretty much all the videos out there.
