Billabong Odyssey (www.the-usher.com)

Surfing is going through its biggest transformation in the history of the sport. With advances in technology no wave is out of reach. A group of the best surfers around have come together to showcase what the new technique of Tow-in Surfing can achieve, as they start an eighteen-month world tour searching for the biggest waves the ocean's can muster.

One of the most visual of extreme sports is captured again on film but this time the waves are like nothing you have ever seen.

In 2001 Bill Sharp gathered together the biggest names in big wave surfers to set off on a unique project that would take them all around the world. Combining their years of experience with the latest jet-powered watercraft tow vehicles, the group used cutting-edge weather tracking technology to chase down the biggest swells the earth's oceans have to offer and then headed off to surf them. These are not ordinary waves but ones over 50 feet high, giving the most dangerous rides but also the biggest adrenalin rush.

The passion for surfing, coupled with the latest technology brought about the Billabong Odyssey that would take the group around the world to ride some of the biggest and most terrifying waves ever ridden by any surfer. This documentary takes you along on the eighteen-month odyssey that would see the surfers travel to California, France, Spain, Australia, Tahiti and Maui.

Much of the film is shot is typical documentary style as the surfers talk about the experiences to camera and we go behind the scenes of their preparation and competition events. The surfers discuss their passion for the sport and the filmmakers provide an insight into backgrounds and competition wins during their careers. From this you realise that the film really has gathered together some of the greats of surfing, men and women who are without fear and experts at what they do.

The documentary really comes into its own during the surfing scenes however. The cinematography by Mike Prickett is quite simply stunning, as the film takes you on the ride of your life. The footage actually takes you on Mike Parson's epic ride from tow-in start, through the barrel of the gargantuan wave to his eventual wipe out. Stunning photography combines with Dorian Cheah's score to produce an opening sequence that grabs your attention from the off and then throws you into the thick of things for the rest of the documentary.

While the subject matter is enthralling, even to anyone who has never had any interest in the sport, the structure of the documentary does tend to lose its way about half way through. For the first half you see the group train and prepare for their adventure to come, as we see them get trained in safety and rescue techniques and how to tackle a large wave. We then follow them on some of their trips around the world as we are introduced to some of the world's best and undiscovered surfing paradises that are home to some gigantic waves. The combination of conversation, travel and surfing works extremely well, giving you a fascinating insight into the people and the sport. This all changes when the group head off to the Big Wave competition on the famous and dangerous swells at Maui's Peahi or Jaws as it is more commonly known. For the rest of the movie we watch the competition as the advantages of tow-in surfing are highlighted as the normal paddle surfers struggle to cope with the conditions. This is interesting stuff but it totally takes you away from the previous, enjoyable structure that made up the first half of the movie. It also leads to the ending been rushed and the film not really concluding in an appropriate manner.

Billabong Odyssey is a fascinating look at the extreme side of surfing. It succeeds in showing you what drives these people to take such risks for that adrenaline high by taking you onto their boards as they take that ride. While it would have been more of a complete documentary if they had covered the full eighteen months of the odyssey more comprehensively instead of concentrating on the competition at Jaws, this is still very entertaining and it succeeds in making you want to hit the waves.

PICTURE & SOUND

Presented in 1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen with a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, the transfer is very good. The picture quality comes into its own during the amazing opening sequence at 'Jaws', with the sheer awesome spectacle conveyed in crystal clear clarity. The sound is also good, emphasising vocals, which you want with a documentary, but the surround sound comes into its own during the epic surfing moments.

BONUS FEATURES

Mike Parsons: Billabong Odyssey Surfer (18.36 mins)
Big Wave surfer Mike Parsons talks candidly about how he got into the sport and outlines his career so far. In an interesting interview, the star of Big Wave surfing explains how different it is riding an average 10 or 15 foot wave compared to a 40 - 80 foot wave. He regales you with stories of what it was like riding 'Jaws' but also outlines the dangers of the sport and his own near death experience.

Philip Boston: Director's Interview (16.27 mins)
The director of the Billabong Odyssey talks frankly about how he became involved in the project and how he decided to approach it. He reveals that not all the surfers he wanted could appear in the movie and the reasons why, as well as talking about the surfers who agreed to appear. He talks extensively about the difficulties of the 'Jaws' sequences and reveals the dangers involved in filming such big waves. The director also talks about his influences and the emergence of surfing on the silver screen.

UK Theatrical Trailer (1.33 mins)
Your chance to watch the promotional trailer for the movie

OVERALL

Billabong Odyssey is a nicely packaged DVD that covers most of everything you want to know about big wave surfing. The interviews with Mike Parsons and Philip Boston are information but you can't help but think they would have been better served by participating in a commentary track. Still this is a must for all surfing fans.

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2004