[Anglofoni] Recensione First Descent

di **Gas75** » 4 dic 2005, 13:24

FIRST DESCENT (2005)
by Bill Clark
http://www.fromthebalcony.comb...@fromthebalcony.com

RATING (Fresh or Rotten): B+ (Fresh)

URL: http://www.fromthebalcony.com/reviews/2 ... escent.htm

QUOTE: "First Descent is a must-see for snowboarders and fans alike,
but even neutral parties can take something away from it."

Oh, those crazy snowboarders. How vividly I remember joining the sixth
grade ski club, having never worn a ski in my life, and being
terrorized by their kind. They seemed bound and determined to bury me
alive in snow, and I made it all the easier since the only way I could
stop was to fall down. Hey, at least they were having fun. But we are
easily fooled. Skiing and snowboarding are made to look easy by
seasoned professionals, but the fact of the matter is that they are two
of the most difficult sports in existence. A blend of perfected balance
and an apparent death wish, snowboarding is given an all new face in
First Descent.

The film is really two movies in one. The core story chronicles the
adventures of Shawn Farmer, Terje Haakonsen, Nick Peralta, Hannah
Teter, and Shaun White - five of the best snowboarders in the world
- as they take on the ever-intimidating peaks of Valdez, Alaska.
Farmer is regarded as one of the founding fathers of the sport. In his
late thirties, Farmer still possesses the same wild abandon and passion
for the sport as today's teenage prodigy counterparts. Haakonsen is
the pride of Norway, Peralta has brought ingenuity over the years, and
Teter and White are the two most talented and popular snowboarders in
the country today.

Interspersed with their adventure are segments recounting the
beginnings and evolution of the sport. There is a lot of archived
footage to give us a good idea of how the sport has progressed in its
brief but riotous history. There is also some insight into how the
sport will evolve in the coming decade.

Snowboarders will revel in the stunning and beautiful footage captured
by Kemp Curly and Kevin Harrison. The Alaska back country is some of
the most gorgeous terrain in the world, and here it is so clear that it
feels like you can just reach out and make a snowball. The actual
snowboarding action is nothing short of mesmerizing as these five
experts risk their lives for our enjoyment. A sequence involving
snowboarder Travis Rice's run-in with an avalanche is some of the
most astonishing footage I have ever seen. The title of the film itself
comes from Terje Haakonsen's "first descent" from a peak called
"7601." That's right - that would be the peak's height above
sea level. And it gets better - the first section sports a 60%
decline. The only way I would ever try that would be if my doctor told
me I had twenty-four hours to live.

As enthralling as the film is, it does overstay its welcome at 110
minutes. Snowboarding junkies will undoubtedly disagree, but the film
could have been twenty minutes shorter with no damage done. The last
half hour or so feels a bit dragged out as the boarders keep trying to
decide which peaks to ride and if it's safe enough to do so.

It's comforting that films like this can be made. It shows that the
market is expanding. Just ten years ago snowboarding was one of the
biggest underground niche sports, but with the help of the X-Games and
rising interest on slopes worldwide, snowboarding is proving to be a
breakout sport that can only grow and prosper further. First Descent is
a must-see for snowboarders and fans alike, but even neutral parties
like me can take something away from it.

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