I liked a lot of things about Positron last year—after all, it had Devun Walsh and crew, so what’s not to like? Well, things I could have done without was the computer animation and a lack of variety in terrain. Thankfully, this one has enough hardpack action to change up the pace. While The Big Blind’s bangers are still predominantly powder the film def delivers on both fronts. I was pretty amazed with the epic Canadian powder footage after such a suck-ass winter. When the conditions were right, the Wildcats and friends were on it, as evidenced throughout this film. Devun Walsh holds down ridiculous backcountry gaps, and fluid Cabs and half Cabs off both cliff and cornice. Of course this comes as no surprise, because Devun has never turned out a movie part that didn’t raise the bar for his peers. He’s been “the man for many, many years now—don’t expect a changing of the guard anytime soon.
Tadashi Fuse will straight blindside you in this one. Sure, I try to expect the unexpected and all, but “Japanese Devun is on some new shit. Tadashi spent most of the winter filming urban stuff in Japan rather than filming in powder (which has made him famous). I heard about this last winter and was more than skeptical—my mistake. Tadashi has one of the strongest, most well rounded and unique move parts of the year. It’s crazy—check it! Did I blow him up hard enough? No, fine, I’ll try harder … uhhh, I watched it with M.F.M. and he was straight trippin’ on Tadashi’s part too. Marco was also really hyped on Devun’s part, of course, and some kid with a couple shots and ill style—Matt Dano or something?
Now that I’ve got the two biggest players out of the way, I’ll get a li’l more general: The intros were clean and slick, the powder is thick, hardpack maneuvers showcase and better represent these riders overall style. Yes, even though most of the stuff is shot on the same double set at Alpine Meadows … it still works. JF Pelchat gets after it and Kale amazes. Paavo has more quality footage than expected seeing he was always hurt. Iikka Backstrom’s part kicks much ass, it’s one of the best in the movie—great part Holmes! Chris Dufficy boardslide’s a rail that makes a hard right hand turn—it was so sick and twisted my one-year-old son Gabe clapped (he’s a big Duff fan). And finally, TransWorld Rookie Of The Year Eero Niemela closes the show with tweaked out, extended scando flavor while wreckin’ everything in his path. Fun times. Go buy it.
Check the slideshow and the teaser fool!
