REVIEW: The Search For Freedom

4/10 - What's love got to do, got to do with it?

Why do people like extreme sports? What is it that drives people to them? That's the premise of this documentary, finding out from athletes what draws them to these sports that put them at risk.

Needless to say, viewing this at the  Maui Film Festival where surf culture reigns king, the movie did quite well.

I would like to know how this documentary came to be. It mashes together footage of athletes from all parts of the globe without ever giving time to introduce them, introduce the sport, or explain why we are watching it.

From the top of snowy mountains with skiers racing against avalanches, to the hot beaches in Hawaii where surfers tame the tides, this film tries to be inclusive of everything that would be considered an extreme sport, including skateboarding, mountain biking, sky diving, snow boarding, BMX, and wind surfing. Perhaps the biggest flaw was not focusing on a few in depth examples of extreme sports. Instead it touches briefly on all of them. No, really. All of them.

It hops from sport to sport, athlete to athlete, with only generic comments about the rush they feel to connect the scenes. This movie is dense with sports interviews, and thin on context. This movie is desperate for a narrator.

Despite it's sloppy execution, there are some great moments that illustrate the way sport culture has evolved and the level of accomplishments that have been achieved. Legends like Tony Hawk discuss his career in skateboarding, in direct comparison to the children who are making those same achievements today.

Really, it's the jaw-dropping cinematic shots that tells the story. These athletes are driven, passionate people who are often viewed as social outcasts for their discipline and dedication to the sport. The slow motion, high def scenes of those athletes rocketing through the air on skis or skates is enough to explain that thematic question. The footage captures a palpable adrenaline rush that fuels these athletes more than anything else. That's something that resonates with thrill seekers.

Seeing those scenes of the highest heights that can be reached through extreme sports, one thing is clear. There doesn't need to be an explanation to get it. It would have been nice if there was one, though.

Rotten Tomatoes - The Search for Freedom
Film Website - The Search for Freedom