Waiting for Lightning Review

So I watched the new Danny Way documentary the other day and I thought I would express my opinion on the film. Let me start off by saying I have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for Danny Way. He has taken skateboarding to unheard of levels, and is a true skater through and through. Having said that, I thought this movie was fucking terrible. If I was to rename it, I would call it “Captain Boo-Yah’s Guide to Getting XXX-treme.” It was everything commercial in skateboarding and none of the best parts about it or Danny it seemed. The entire movie was focused around Danny’s jump of the Great Wall of China. While that was an impressive feat, it was just that. A feat. No one else got to try it that day and now that it’s been done no one will ever attempt it again.
It showcased Danny’s “accomplishments” which is basically a list of giant jumps, bomb drops, and world records. Which are fine, but that’s not real skateboarding. Sorry Danny. I was hoping for an accurate film about the life and world of Danny Way the skateboarder. What this was, was a mainstream look at an extreme sports star.
I have never thought of skateboarding as extreme or for that manner a sport. If you are just getting started in skateboarding and want to be sponsored by Red Bull and compete at the X games that’s great. But that’s not skateboarding to me. That’s the spectacle of skateboarding, something for people to look at and point at and say “that’s so gnarly!”
Skateboarding to me is a lifestyle. Not only that it’s my life. It’s not something you can win or beat. Your only competition is yourself and the only gallery is your best friends during a session. The person I most admire in it is the person having the most fun. This film showcased none of that and felt like Danny’s competition and final defeat of skateboarding. However, I did expect that somewhat just because it was directed by Jacob Rosenberg. Who if you know, was the original videographer for the Plan B of the 1990’s. Who is of course credited with the second Super-group or super-team in skateboarding. Yuck.
I’ll take my friends and a case of beer over your super team any day of the week at any time and I guarantee we will beat you at the only thing that matters in skating. Having fun.