Rotten
First Descent comes off as an overlong, overstuffed promo for an 'industry' that hasn't needed promoting since the movie's target audience was in diapers.
Mark Holcomb, Village Voice
First Descent
2005 · 1h 50m · PG-13
Documentary
Directed by
Kemp Curly
,
Kevin Harrison
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First Descent
Overview
First Descent is a 2005 documentary film about snowboarding and its beginning in the 1980s. The snowboarders featured in this movie (Shawn Farmer, Nick Perata, Terje Haakonsen, Hannah Teter and Shaun White with guest appearances from Travis Rice) represent three generations of snowboarders and the progress this young sport has made over the past two decades. Most of the movie was shot in Alaska.
Director and cast
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
52%
Tomatometer
Fresh
They're amazing athletes.
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
Fresh
An adequate if slightly overlong history of the sport, Descent adheres to the same storytelling trajectory as documentary predecessors on surfing and skateboarding.
Mike Clark, USA Today
Fresh
It doesn't get gnarlier than this.
Tom Keogh, Seattle Times
Fresh
At almost two hours, First Descent still moves along briskly, offering something for everyone, including the skeptical crowd that still thinks all snowboarders smoke pot and listen to Black Flag.
Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle
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