Official Synopsis:
Three young skaters, the “Deck Dogz”, dream of escaping their suburban existence and making it in the world of pro-skating. Their best shot is to skate off for TONY HAWK, the legendary US twelve time World Champion, who’s scouting for young talent to sponsor. Problem is, he’s holding the competition at a beach bowl which is miles from home and there is no way their parents or teachers will let them travel. Journey with the “Dogz” as they do whatever it takes to make their dreams a reality.
Our Take:
One of the primary rules as any kind of movie reviewer or critic is to try never to let preconceived notions affect your opinion of a film. Basically, we're not supposed to let things like bad press, rumors, and the like color our opinion of a film until we sit down and watch it. I usually work hard to stick to that principle; but once in a while, despite my best efforts, I do get an early opinion before I watch a film.
That was the case with Deck Dogz. I mean, the name alone makes it sound pretty stupid, and the fact that it's an Australian "skateboarders with dreams" story just had me convinced that this was going to be a crappy movie that would do absolutely nothing for me.
Well, it's a good thing I don't listen to myself all the time, because Deck Dogz is one of the most surprisingly fun movies I've seen in a long time. Yes, this is a skateboarding teenagers coming-of-age story, but it's an extremely well developed one. The film is based not just on a punk-rock soundtrack and slow-motion skateboarding shots, but instead character development, an actual plot, and good writing. In addition, the film is extremely stylized; the brief flipbook-style animated interludes and quick-edit flashes of alternative artwork are fun and innovative rather than distracting.
Also, give credit to lead actors Sean Kennedy and Richard Wilson, two young Australian actors who are both excellent skaters and talented actors. Wilson has a plotline involving his drugged-out brother and some dealers searching for him, while Kennedy has a storyline involving his disapproving father and his previously-never-accomplished trick that might garner him a sponsorship. There's also plot lines involving cops looking for the trio of skaters and a kid named Stickers trying to become a Deck Dog. The film is just a lot of fun, and surprisingly well fleshed out.
The DVD is fun, too, coming with a number of extra features.
* Making Of Featurettes - Six featurettes focusing on particular aspects of creating the film. They are: Animation (5 minutes), Stickers (2 minutes), Special Effects (4 minutes), Tony Hawk (4 minutes), Real Life Deck Dogz (3 minutes), and The Spasm (6 minutes).
* Alternate Ending (2 minutes) - A more sober ending to the film. I like the finished version better.
* The Making of Deck Dogz (11 minutes) - A more general behind-the-scenes featurette.
* Deleted Scene (2 minutes) - An excised scene featuring Tony Hawk.
I know that Deck Dogz isn't a movie that looks like it will appeal to everyone, but if you like skateboarding, Tony Hawk, or are just a 15-year-old guy, I think this movie will be really enjoyable for you. Even if you’re none of the above, you might want to give it a shot; you might find yourself as surprised as I was.
Overall Picture:
Movie: A-
DVD: B
- Mike Spring
Editor
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