Releasing on Netflix on June 12, this documentary is part of a series of films. The NDG series of documentaries is a choice of French sports activities in the form of a two-hour-long film.
NDG stands for Nuit De la Glisse, or Night of the Glide. Magnetic is one of the five documentaries of this series. It covers the lives of athletes performing extreme sports activities.
1. Quick Review
Magnetic
Air Date: June 12, 2020 Status: Finished
Attracted to thrills across the globe, intrepid athletes venture to remote locations in pursuit of their extreme form of bliss.
Director Thierry Donard and his camera and crew follow adventure junkies as they push themselves as both athletes and people in strenuous situations. The genres they fall under are action & adventure, and documentary.
The film is 115 minutes in length and encompasses the journey of these athletes in one situation. Initially released in 2018, it follows his critically acclaimed Don’t Crack Under Pressure trilogy. Film director Thierry Donard has pulled out all the stops in his latest film project.
2. Is It worth Watching?
The film is much more than an extreme sports one. It comes across as a true adventure. Magnetic will take you on a breathtaking journey around the globe, from the forests of the French Alps to the turquoise waters of Tahiti, from the towering peaks of Pakistan to the colossal surf of Portugal.
The film allows you to experience the thrills of a multitude of extreme sports first-hand. With a handful of exceptional athletes, the documentary allows you to see them in their eternal quest for the perfect moment. The stunning visuals, serene music, and watching the athletes exist in their natural environments make the documentary entirely worthwhile.
I. Plot
The latest Nuit de la Glisse film captures the tale of men and women attracted by the magnetic force of unleashed elements.
The team travels the globe to the most remote locations. From New Zealand to Pakistan to the Islands of Tahiti, this film brings its viewers the latest camera technology. It is joined by the best athletes in their discipline to capture on film a modern-day adventure.
The cast of this documentary includes big wave surfers Maya Gabeira, Sebastian Steudtner, Ross Clarke-Jones, Toby Cunningham, Joao Guedes, Benjamin Sanchis, Andrey Karr, Fabiano Tissot, Axi Muniain, Tikanui Smith, Matahi Drollet, Lorenzo Avvenenti, and Hira Teriinatoofa.
Also featured are freestyle BMX professional Tom Barrer, professional kitesurfer Liam Whaley, mountain biker Xavier Marovelli, professional snowboarders Fabian Bodet and Julien Herry, and speed fliers Jamie Lee and Malachi Templeton.
Finally, it also includes stand-up paddlers Zane Schweitzer and Tehotu Wong, professional foil windsurfer Zane Schweitzer, and steep skiers Wille Lindberg, Sam Favret, and Leo Slemett.
II. Music & Visuals
The music of this documentary is prominent in the trailer. It’s abstract, with instrumental pieces, and brings out the serenity and fervor of putting the cast’s lives at stake for the sake of adventure.
The urgency of each situation and the danger of the overall film is highlighted using the vast scores of composition. Postmodern western classical pieces are predominant throughout, with snippets of pianos and violins.
For 40 years, NDG Cinema has been traveling the globe to the most remote locations, producing LA’s NGD series of critically acclaimed films.
From the big waves of the North Shore, the documentary will take you on a visual journey to Tahiti, Tarifa, and Nazaré. It also allows the viewer to skim across the highest summits of Pakistan, and dive down into the deepest slopes in Chamonix and landscapes beyond. The stunning visuals and excellent cinematography come through in each shot of the film.
3. Final Thoughts
Story: A
Cinematography/Animation: A+
Music: A
Direction: A
The director’s story itself is a very interesting one. Passionate about action sports since he was 5 years old, Thierry made his first ski film at 13.
In 1984, he created the first film released under the label Nuit de la Glisse with his avant-garde group of skier and surfer friends. It was the first 90-minute feature-length film dedicated to action sports to be broadcast on TV in France.
He then continued with the concept series Pushing the Limits from 1989-94. These films are now part of one of the biggest European extreme sports label with the biggest distribution network throughout Europe.
Nuit de la Glisse was created at the end of the ’70s by a group of inspired visionaries. It is known today under the French term Glisse. It has evolved over the last 3 decades to encompass newly emerging glisse sports, while at the same time, documenting the amazing and exciting developments in original European passions—surfing and snow sports.
This film itself consists of a previously unreleased film featuring glisse sports such as surfing, skiing, snowboarding, base jumping, mountain biking, skateboarding, and many more.
Filmed in breathtaking settings all around the planet, Magnetic may not have been very well known. However, it is definitely worth the watch.
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