Directed by Justin Stephens at Album Films, Relentless
is my choice for Team wakeboard DVD of 2004. Lucky for
me, I was able to catch a sneak peak of Relentless
before its release in Canada this past summer.
Unfortunately, the battery in the portable DVD player
died, so I had to wait a few months before seeing the
rest of the film. What I originally saw just blew me
away. As Liquid Force puts it, “…more than just a
wakeboard video… It’s a true portrayal of our team and
of our life.”
Liquid Force’s 2004 team features a very talented group
of riders with a wide variety of riding styles. If
you’re not too familiar with the 2004 team, it includes Shawn
Watson, Ben Greenwood, Phillip Soven, Cody Hall, Collin
Harrington, Mike Ennen, Melissa Marquardt, Perry
Richmond, Kyle Schmidt, Tim Kovacich, Gregg Necrason,
Kevin Henshaw, Steve McKinley, Shane Bonifay, Emily
Copeland, Steve Schoenhals, Silas Thurman & more.
The soundtrack for this DVD is about as diverse as the
team. Some of the bands you'll find include Jane's
Addiction, Neil Young, Pennywise, Ludacris, New Order,
Hot Hot Heat, The Roots, Linkin Park and Primus.
My favourite section was the riding of Phillip Soven. Some of the tricks are so technical
(and big) that
I had to rewind the video to watch them again in slow
motion, because I
couldn’t believe what I saw. Phillip also has the crash
of the year locked up with a nasty accident on the
slider. I think I heard he needed over 50 stitches. You
should also see what Phillip can do off a roller.
Collin Harrington, with his mad skills on the wakeboard,
wakeskate & wakesurf (no Collin wakesurfing on the DVD),
has to be one of the most talented riders on the tour.
He would also make a great guest on MTV’s Wildboyz, with
his mastery of reptiles.
The only shortfall I have of this DVD is the lack of
wakeskating. Tim has a great section, but that’s about
it. Steve Schoenhals has a great section in the bonus
footage, but I don't know why it's not part of the main
presentation. Maybe it was filmed after the DVD was put
together. With a little more Collin on the skate, as well as a
section on the newest team member, Philip Bassino,
Liquid Force’s 2005 team is looking really strong. That
only means one thing. An even better team DVD for 2005.
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