Waiting for Lightning
Waiting for Lightning
PG-13 | 07 December 2012 (USA)
Waiting for Lightning Trailers

Documentary about the life of skateboarder Danny Way and his attempt at jumping over the Great Wall of China on a skateboard.

Reviews
Floyd Maxwell

OK, not many have comment here.So probably only Danny's biggest fans have left comments.Here is a comment from a Joe Average.lot of build up for a pretty lame stunt, frankly.Jackass guys do this kind of thing routinely.shows a lot of the negative side of skateboard culture.lot of skateboard breaking.sequence at end of movie, after the great wall stunt, is ultra drawn out and boring -- Matt Hoffman does this...in his back yard.Who the heck am I? At age 56 I recently took up skateboarding.I got a longboard and use it daily. So I am not just some random outsider who "doesn't get it".Bottom line: overly slick at times (opening & closing credits), very drawn out "main stunt", easily beaten by YouTube videos. Disappointing.

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morelpeyrefitte

Waiting for Lightning may be the best skateboarding documentary out there. It truly and faithfully represents what skateboarding is all about: standing up one more time after falling down. This may sound simple, but is the magnificence of this sport: it builds character and discipline; no matter how much your spirit is broken by frustration, no matter the physical toll your body takes after smashing on the ground: you just have to swallow it, stand up, conquer your fears and try one more time until you achieve your goal.In my opinion, this pivotal point is missing in other skateboarding documents like Bones Brigade, Rising Sun, Stoked, Z Boys that portrait a lifestyle, a hobby or a fad; one of them even dares to address skateboarding as staying immature as long as you possibly can.Other thing that really touched me was the roll of Mike Ternasky in the H-Street team, that really shows the need you have to be pushed and to be inspired. It is magnificent the footage where you see him showing Danny how to make a trick and pushing him until he lands it, no matter the damage his body or soul takes. You can see Mike's legacy in the climax of the documentary when Danny's foot is destroyed, he's soul is angry and scared, but he swallows it and goes not only for one more jump to the wall, but two.Maybe is for a niche this documentary, but i really feel that it helps showing the rest of the people what skateboarding is about; not only stupid kids doing risky things, but athletes focusing mentally and physically to excel in a sport, to keep it fresh and challenging for the generations to come.In terms of narrative is nicely accomplished to see the evolution of the jump running parallel to the evolution of Danny in the skateboard community.I've read some complaints that the main character in this movie is missing; but i think that he doesn't need to be talking to the camera in order to be more present, he is present skating, trying, failing and rising up instead of just speaking. I think that it is what I liked about Danny in the first place: he didn't talk to loud, he just skated loud and his legacy is still heard and present in every curb in every floor where a skater decides to get up just one more time.

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rnlarson

I watched the viewing of the premier of the final cut at the U of I Bijou theater. Even though I didn't grow up as a skateboarder, I can really appreciate the effort it takes to be great in it, and Danny Way pushed the sport to ever higher levels. This was easily the best movie I've seen in quite some time. Note that this is a documentary, so it probably won't do well in the general theaters, as the box office hits tend to be molded for the LCD of the US population. Regardless, everyone who enjoys great stories should check this out. Excellent movie, very well written and directed. I'd definitely watch it again. Line 8. Line 9. Line 10.

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Scott Beatty

Waiting for Lightning is one of the most inspiring biographical documentaries I have ever seen . This movie grabs you and takes you on a journey through Danny Way's life. It shows how his relentless shredding on the skateboard changed the sport of skateboarding forever. This movie portrays how the goals and dreams of one man can have an affect on so many people's lives. It proves that even the hardest goals can be achieved if we use our willpower and determination to push through obstacles in our way. Danny Way reminds us how important it is to get back up when we fall and have faith in our abilities. I believe this film will relate to anyone who watches it, even people like myself who have never skateboarded before.

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