Review: Orange Crush

I woke up at 5:30 this morning with  an irritating psych to go climbing.  With good conditions still six hours away I settled in for the long wait, poured some coffee, donned the headphones, and hit the play button on Orange Crush.   Immediately, I was transported to the world of bouldering in South Africa and its dreamy, bright orange landscape. 

Orange Crush takes place entirely in the Rocklands.  It's a no-nonsense bouldering film that defines the genre, opening with a montage of impressive scenery, wild animals, flying dynos and sick crimps.  The opening sequence blends seamlessly into the action and in just more than a minute you're into the meat of the film.  The movie picks up with the standard bouldering film format and adheres to it closely for the remainder of the flick:  shot of boulder, name of boulder, climber climbs boulder, repeat.  This tried and true format is high energy, covers a lot of material quickly, and doesn't give your eyes or mind the opportunity to wander.  At just over 30 minutes in length it's a shot of adrenaline.    

One thing that stands apart in this film is the cast of characters.  The filmmaker, Alex Savage, is a subject as well as Les Warnock, Ian Cotter Brown, Jesse Bonin and a few others.  While not exactly world famous climbers, these guys crush (pardon the pun) and the word 'core' kept  coming to mind.  It's apparent that this crew lives to climb and their energy is infectious.   It's hard to not like the childlike enthusiasm these guys bring to the rock.

The camera work is no-frills, crystal-clear, HD quality.  The editing is minimalist  but flawless.  The music is driving beats that you'd expect from a high-energy bouldering film.  These factors don't go unnoticed as you'll find yourself drawn into each problem, whether it's the difficulty of the line or the beauty of the movement. 

One of the attributes of the film is the beta aspect.  If you are planning, or planning to plan, a trip to South Africa this movie is a must have.  It'll get you psyched, show you the good problems, and offer little tidbits of info like, "Don't rent a car from Best Beetle!"    

If you're the kind of person that wants a climbing movie to be just climbing, this film is a must have.  If you're looking for in depth storyline, special effects, and a bunch of fluff between the action; look elsewhere.  Click on the image below to check out some of the action that can be found in Orange Crush. 

-MW

Click the image to watch the trailer.

Download a copy of Orange Crush for $6.99 at HDclimbingvideos.com