Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, September 18, 1993 TAG: 9309210060
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: B7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MIKE MAYO CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The loosely knit plot is purely an excuse to string together some fair footage of surfing and rollerblade skating.
Our hero is Mitchell (Shane McDermott), a California surfer/skater high school dude whose life is an endless series of downhill slopes and perfect waves . . . until his parents go to Australia for six months. He's packed off to stay with relatives in lovely downtown Cincinnati, Ohio.
At first, his cousin Wiley (Seth Green) thinks he's cool, but then we learn that Mitchell is something of a pacifist who won't stand up for what he believes in and all that. Uncool.
The various conflicts involving the other students are confusing and unpersuasive. Ice hockey, a pretty girl (Brittney Powell) and old boyfriends are the main elements. Again, though, that part of the movie isn't important. As long as first-time director Rob Bowman sticks to simple physical movement, either on skates or surfboards, he's able to hold audience interest.
Long montages on a plywood skating "U" and the obligatory big downhill race at the end generate some energy. They're crisply photographed and edited, and they contain some excellent stunt work. Younger viewers who are already involved in rollerblading will probably see lots of things their parents won't want them to practice.
\ Airborne: **
A Warner Bros. release playing at the Valley View Mall 6 and Salem Valley 8. 87 min. Rated PG for mild violence.
by CNB