Set around the 2003 Annual Air Guitar World Championship Contest, and in particular around the first-time American participants, Air Guitar Nation plays like a tournament movie, pitting two opponents against each other, the "favorite" C-Diddy and the "relentless challenger" Björn Türoque.Don't be deterred by the overall silliness (which everyone acknowledges) and gives this documentary a chance. It's a joy to watch, from the inventive structure to the obvious fun the contestants have taking on their "rock star" personas. No these dudes aren't really like that, they're taking on a role! And having a blast doing it too! Air Guitar Nation certainly isn't a must-watch but it's a very nice watch. Very original and a lot of fun. A refreshing documentary which doesn't take itself seriously and doesn't tackle a serious matter either.

"Air Guitar Nation" is probably the best documentary ever made about a non-subject. Air Guitar, for those unfamiliar with the term, is the art of playing heavy metal guitar sans the actual guitar. It's what every spastic, tone-deaf teenager with dreams of one day becoming the next Jimi Hendrix has done in the privacy of his own bedroom since the late 1960's. Who could ever have imagined that a whole subculture and cottage industry would one day spring up around an activity that most of us probably never admitted to doing even to our closest buddies?Yet, that is exactly what has happened, and in its rise to semi-"respectability," Air Guitar has gathered unto itself a bevy of impassioned, hardcore fans who see nothing crazy in cheering on a wannabe guitarist as he mimics the moves of actual music-making immortals like Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton on stage. Indeed, the Air Guitar movement even boasts its own roster of revered icons and pioneers and has established well-attended competitions on the local, national and international level as a means of showcasing its finest talents and garnering itself some much-needed publicity. The movie follows two of the key figures in the field, C-Diddy and Bjorn Turoque - each with his own very different hard rocker persona - as they head to the 2003 Air Guitar championship held in Oulu, Finland.The basic charm of "Air Guitar Nation" lies in its ability to acknowledge the silliness of the whole concept while, at the same time, evincing a genuine, heartfelt affection for both the activity and those who participate in it. Indeed, far more time is spent getting to know the "musicians" as people than in watching them actually perform. What is most striking about the young men is just how reserved, shy and self-effacing they are by nature until they take to the stage and simply cut loose with all their wild gesticulations and antics at the behest of the adoring crowd. It is then that they become truly transformed, so much so that even the most cynical scoffer may find himself caught up in the spirit of the moment, sweating out the contest's ultimate outcome right along with the participants. The men also face their inexplicable status as celebrities with a clear-eyed rationality, not taking themselves or their accomplishments all that seriously (their satirical names alone reflect that playful spirit), a fact that makes the whole thing at least palatable for those who still may not quite "get it" even after the closing credits have rolled on by.

How is it possible to take such an interesting premise such as "Air Guitar" and have it come out so dull and boring? Clearly, the choices made by the director and producers on what to show and what not to show was a big factor. In addition, the American characters were weak, and I didn't care whether they won or lost. C-Diddy seems like a nice guy, but completely lacked charisma. But he was great compared to Bjorn Turoque, an incredibly obnoxious and self-centered slacker. Before the competition, Bjorn meets the Austrian champs, and later says to the camera, "these guys don't like me." Well of course they don't like you...you're a jerk!

I saw this film at SilverDocs 2006, AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Film Festival in Silver Spring, MD. I was initially hesitant to see this movie, because seriously, how good can a film called "Air Guitar Nation" be? In actuality, I was surprisingly entertained and amazed by this engaging film.Unlike some documentaries that seem rushed or incomplete, "Air Guitar Nation" is a finished work. The film begins by introducing a score of wholly unique and zany, yet ultimately very human competitors into the world of air guitar. Though comical at first glance, the competitors rise above the visual silliness of strumming air to let their personalities warm the hearts of the audience.By the end of the film, I was rooting whole-heartedly for all the competitors as they battled for the World Air Guitar Championship. I walked out of the theater with the sounds of great music in my head and a newfound respect for air guitar in general. And once at home, I blew the dust off my own air guitar and jammed out a few solos!