Laird: White Knuckle Extreme
May 2004 Reviewed by: Anthony Di Marco Format: DVD	(all ratings out of 5): Overall Enjoyment Picture Quality Packaged Extras Sound Quality

Whether it is climbing to the top of a mountain, wrestling alligators, or diving to the deepest reaches of the sea, humans have always found a need to challenge nature. Laird Hamilton is no different than John Krakauer taking on Everest or Rodney Fox’s fascination and near-death experience with great white sharks. Like his colleagues, Hamilton looks at surfing as a means of not only testing his mettle against the forces of nature, but also transporting himself closer to nature.

White Knuckle Extreme chronicles the various waves that Laird Hamilton has surfed throughout his career, which has included stunt work on the films Water World and Die Another Day. Well, "waves" may be too delicate a term. What first looks like uninteresting cascades of water can take on a more life-threatening character as the camera pulls back. Laird Hamilton and his cohorts are not just "playing in the water." The waves that Hamilton and his gang tackle are immense walls of ocean that demand respect and leave room for no error: one wrong move and several tons of water will pulverize human flesh and bone against the ocean floor.

Remarkable photography captures these indisputable accomplishments. How Tim McKenna managed to film the amazing shots is a question that many have probably asked. That he does it with such fluidity and precision, amid the constant threat of death, is even more impressive. McKenna’s technical prowess makes this documentary a very exciting experience.

Beyond the obviously visceral action, I found White Knuckle Extreme a therapeutic and spiritual experience. The images and the music put me at ease. I quickly found that the presentation lent itself more to meditation than a "white knuckle" ride. Like listening to the calming effect of water, this DVD established itself as the perfect means of decompressing after a stressful day. Just turn down the lights, pour some wine, and sit back.

Despite the fantastic camera work, video quality fluctuated from bordering on "high definition" to noisy and desaturated. In many cases, the spray of the waves and film grain of older footage played havoc with the MPEG compression. Low-pass filtering helped the noise, but imparted too much softness to some images.

The snappy and harmonically rich soundtrack added to my enjoyment. Songs from Robert Anthony Aviles, Moby, and Bender were dynamic and crisp, while dialogue from intercut interviews was clean, despite obvious dynamic compression.

Extras amounted to additional footage of various waves that Laird has conquered, as well as further detail on the dynamics of one of the largest waves the surfer every rode: Po’ahl Teahupoo. I didn’t necessarily enjoy these extras as much as the main feature, but marveled at the amount of guts and technique Laird possessed. It was a humbling experience that prompted me to acknowledge my own limitations. Extreme sports can do that to you. Thanks to DVD, I can enjoy the thrills without incurring the danger.

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