A ‘crash reel’ is a video montage showcasing a snowboarder’s most wince-inducing accidents, designed to terrify and enthral the viewer. It’s a reminder of both the adrenaline-fuelled thrill – and the ever present danger – of extreme sports. As such, it is fitting that Lucy Walker’s emotive documentary takes the name The Crash Reel as it manages to pack all of the above into its runtime; combining her own footage with home-videos and television coverage.
Kevin Pearce and Shaun White were the two biggest names in snowboarding in the lead up to the 2010 Winter Olympics. Having been childhood friends and fierce rivals, it was the competition between the two for gold medals which had tongues wagging. One morning, however, on a practice run, Kevin was attempting a ‘cab double cork’ when his board clipped the ice and he was slammed head first into the half-pipe wall. With his wonderfully supportive family and friends at his bedside, it took Kevin days to wake, weeks to move and months to stand. To the horror of his loved ones, his main drive in getting back on his feet is revealed to be the desire to strap them onto a board again.
The film creates a vibrant portrait of the snowboarding community prior to Kevin’s life-threatening accident. It is clear to see why a young man would be attracted to the glamorous and privileged lifestyle, even if the safety concerns might be too much for the faint-hearted. Through the rehabilitation every tearful conversation and painful moment of recovery serves to undermine the renewed allure of the half-pipe to all but Kevin. He is unable to reconcile the supremely talented sportsman he was with his current – and likely permanent – condition. It’s through Pearce coming to appreciate his limitations and the dangers that another head trauma could hold that the film really comes into its own. After the buoyant success of the setup – and its second act sucker-punch – it follows with a fantastically warm and hopeful conclusion.
Walker also expertly delays the use of her own eponymous montage, unleashing it once viewers are acutely aware of the potential ramifications of every fall; there are stoic grimaces rather than impressed gasps. It is also the director’s command of her craft that keeps the piece compelling through its slower passages and right up to the touching denouement.
Ben has awarded The Crash Reel four Torches of Truth
