Steep

When I see daredevil skiers riding avalanches and saying things like “the high is worth the risk,” I can only think: damn, these people are nuts—a thought that crossed my mind numerous times while watching Mark Obenhaus' visually gorgeous documentary Steep, which was shot in remote snowy environments around the world, and features people boldly skiing where no one has skied before. Here, there are no rules, no lift lines, and presumably no chance of getting life insurance. Initially, these thrill-seekers went to places without lodges (in the Alaskan mountains, for instance) and called it “ski mountaineering.” Then they recruited helicopters to take them to sites inaccessible even to off-road vehicles, and called it “heli-skiing.” Eventually, however, the skiers dared to tackle vertical drops that reach 50 degrees, which is essentially nothing more than falling…with style (one hotshot kid even wears a parachute and doesn't worry about whether the trail he blazes actually finishes at the bottom of the mountain). There's something a bit pornographic in all of this, and the film seems far more content to line up one spectacular shot after another, rather than truly address the psychology driving these people—until the sobering end. Still, ski bums and extreme sports enthusiasts will definitely want to see this. A strong optional purchase. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by director Mark Obenhaus and skiers Ingrid Backstrom and Andrew McLean, a “Shooting Steep” production featurette (17 min.), a Q&A with Obenhaus, Backstrom, and McLean (13 min.), an interview with skier Doug Coombs (7 min.), a photo montage (3 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a film that is long on action if short on insight.] (M. Johanson)