Afouotos Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

mraculeated The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

Lachlan Coulson This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

Raymond Sierra The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

John M Joseph If you like snowboarding or not I think this is an amazing look into a life of and amazing person with an amazing family. Kevin is a superstar snowboarder when a tough break forces him into changing his entire life. This piece of work is so well done. One of my favorite documentaries of all time.

Chris Allen My email to a friend who recommended the movie to me: Hey, so I just watched "The Crash Reel" and I dunno if I've ever cried that much to a movie.While this wasn't the deciding factor, it certainly opened up a look into a very scary aspect of life and I would appreciate one on the football side of things, because you don't even need to experience an actual accident to realize the side effects of brain trauma. Football has natural side effects and from the sounds of it, some don't even occur until years later.I just kept thinking "Nope, my kid's not doing this." I love snowboarding, and I hope they'll want to experience it someday...but that adrenaline addiction is what hurts the most. I think education about addiction needs to be pushed in schools, but...what's scary is...When "Just say no" commercials serve as advertisements for a drug... ...maybe healthy balance should be taught in schools.Either way, the kid, Kevin Pearce, is a good influence.

surfs_up1976 It is with no doubt one of the most controversial stories in snowboarding for the past decade. Kevin Pearce's crash marks a sad milestone in the quest for higher, bigger and more spectacular jumps. It's already here where the documentary does not quite know which red line to follow: KP or the dangers in snowboarding? For now we follow Kevin's development and his rivalry with Shaun White and it's already at this point where it becomes obvious in what corner White is put.I must admit that I am not the biggest White fan and treasure KP a lot more but at some points it becomes ridiculous that the only thing that obviously matters is to beat Shaun. Kevin has brought much more to the table than just tricks and fortunately the makers decided to show some of it too.As soon as we get to the crash the film becomes very loose, not quite sure if it's a reality soap like Metallica's "Some Kind Of Monster" or a warning campaign against the risks of actions sports. The VERY intimate conversations with his family and therapists are interesting to watch, especially if you keep in mind that KP had to learn EVERYTHING anew, not just walking - particularly social skills as well. And that's where it gets ugly in my opinion. I was always wondering "WHY is there a camera present in this very room at this very conversation?" In a situation like this I would not want any public participation at this point. Still the film digs into very intimate details and presents them quite shamelessly.I think the most important part of the film is Kevin stating that he wants to go back on his board immediately although each and everyone around him tells him otherwise. Because he still needed to learn so much he was obviously going through a phase of selfishness that usually a four-year-old would go through. By doing so he severely hurts his loved ones and literally puts his life on the line again.This raises the following questions for me: - Was Kevin actually REALLY aware of what he got himself into here? - Even if there is so much love and understanding, why did his family agree on letting the makers dig that deep? - What is the actual conclusion of this film? On one hand we got Kev desperately wanting and getting back on his board but at the same time we see the tragic fates of other athletes. - Shaun White may be faceless, spoiled and egotistic but that's just the way HE pursues. So why the vilification?One true gem of the film is his disabled brother who is as honest as one could be. He is one of the few constants in the film who actually take part in convincing KP not to ride competitively anymore. Although as simple as his mind might appear he is the true pole of sanity.The Crash Reel is a very ambitious film about the risks of action sports and one athlete who was somehow lucky. Still, I somehow don't feel quite satisfied which the direction the film was taking and I also don't understand why the Pearce's allowed the makers to be present at such intimate conversations.

Sergeant_Tibbs The Crash Reel is one mountain of an emotional journey. It starts as one thing and it blossoms, changing its mind frequently but touching all possible ground for its subject. At first, it's a montage documentary from sports footage about a rivalry nearly worthy to be this year's Senna. Then it becomes a film about recovery, then a comeback film, then a film that spreads awareness about the incidents of extreme sports, but then it results in a film fittingly about accepting who you are. Despite shifting focus in a stream-of-consciousness way, it's still a very human story and it's told so elegantly and coherently that it's almost difficult to believe some shots are real because it's so ideal for the scene. Director Lucy Walker has a great sense for capturing the drama. It's the tragedy of someone not being able to do their life's passion that is truly felt even if the unfortunately true arrogant attitude of snowboarders lead me to struggle to sympathise with some of them at times. Perhaps if the documentary was framed with hindsight of Kevin Pearce's ultimate change at the start of the film then it wouldn't feel so unfocused but nevertheless, it never diminishes its emotional power as it tells us the physical and psychological expense athletes of extreme sports go through. An essential documentary for the year with vibrant visuals, kinetic editing and great soundtrack too.8/10