The Southeast Showdown

Earlier today I got an email from the guys at Rock Warrior Films asking if I wanted to check out their first feature film, Southeast Showdown.  I immediately started the download, polished off some work at the desk, and 30 minutes later I was chalking up and hitting the play button.  This time of year, the humidity settles in on the New River Gorge and I find myself spending more time on the training wall than I do the rock.  It’s hard to stay psyched for endless days of campusing so I always keep a climbing flick on to remind me how good it will feel to be fit when the season rolls back around. 

Capoeira (V10) Dayton Pocket, Tennessee.  Photo: Rock Warrior Films

With no idea what to expect, Southeast Showdown started rolling and I waited eagerly for the movie to pick up.  It took exactly twenty seconds before this fast-paced film kicked in and started to deliver.  No menu, no advertisements, just climbing.  The film delivers exactly as advertised:  Sixty problems from V0 to V10 throughout the Southeast including: Rocktown and Zahnd, Georgia, Little Rock City and Dayton Pocket, Tennessee, and Boone and Rumbling Bald, North Carolina. 

As I said, the climbing is fast-paced and the editor used the ‘fast-forward’ effect prodigiously.  The editing is minimalist and raw.  The beats are exactly what you’d expect from a bouldering film, hip-hop/techno that keeps you psyched for one more lap on the campus board. 

Southeast Showdown’s greatest attribute is the beta factor.  I’m a southeast climber and have either done, or tried futilely to do, most of the problems in the video.  And with the grade range of problems showcased being from V0 to V10, most of us can glean a bit of beta for our projects or get amped for future projects.  At one point I dropped off the board and said out loud, “He puts his right foot on for Bowl Low?!”  And now I’m stoked to get out there and try again. 

Most of the problems are classics as well and are surely on your ticklist.  Problems like Hueco Simulator (V1), Croc Bloc (V5), Comet Dyno (V7), The Orb and Vagina (V8), and Burst of Joy (V9) are all in there and that’s just the Rocktown segment.  Expect the same array of classics for the other areas showcased. 

Keep in mind though; this is a low-budget, camcorder film.  There is not a single word of dialogue in the entire movie.  The transitions are abrupt with little regard for segue.  There are no big-name climbers, just locals having a good time.  If you’re looking for a Big Up/Sender Films quality production, look elsewhere.  It’s pretty short at thirty minutes long and left me wanting a bit more so I hit repeat and watched it again.  Is it worth the 10 dollar price tag?  Well, that’s up to you.  For the cost of a day pass at the gym, I stayed psyched during my workout, watched it twice, and will probably watch it some more, most likely after I fall off Bowl Low again.

Check out the trailer here.

If you're interested in downloading the film, check out the Rock Warrior Films website here.