Reviewed by Jacob Powell

WARREN MILLER is not a name likely to make it onto many critics' top 10 directors list. His films may not delve the depths of the human condition BUT you do have to admire his intense passion for all things snow, which set apart his labours of love from other 'extreme sport' films and keep many people coming back for their seasonal Warren Miller fix. This year the granddaddy of the modern snow 'sportumentary' brings us Impact, his 55th instalment, and does a creditable job at continuing his legacy.


Anyone who has sat through a few snow, surf or skate movies will know that they are designed to whip their target audience into a frenzy through a barrage of fast-cut images, featuring goliaths of the given code performing barley imaginable feats of prowess, usually to the musical accompaniment of various underground post-punk groups. These are an acquired taste, not for general consumption. Conversely, Miller draws a broader audience by focussing less on activity and names, and more on the stories and infectious passion of his subjects. We can relate or aspire to their overwhelming passion, fears, and sense of connection to places and people.

Impact interviewees include Chris Davenport and 4 year old skiing sensation Bridger Gile who love their life in the beautiful outdoors of Snowmass, Colorado; professional snowboarders Natasha Zurek, Hannah Teter and Kjersti Buass on a heli-boarding trip in Canada; a 90 year old gentleman who is the sole entrant in his division of the NASTAR King of the Mountain slalom event in Utah and many more.

Miller provides us with plenty of visual peaks and troughs; from the picturesque French village of Chamonix nestled in the French Alps through to adventures in (very) backcountry Alaska. Like Miller's other efforts, Impact is quite formulaic. Montage scenes lead into personal stories followed by offbeat segments at appropriate intervals. The latter include top competitive American skiers and boarders appearing on the Bulgarian version of the 'Tonight Show', and a section featuring aging pseudo-hippy, Glen Plake, water-skiing in Acapulco garbed in a pair of most disturbing hotpants – styled with the US flag. Although these created some interest they were not on par with some of his previous efforts such as climbing and skiing the last, quickly disappearing equatorial glacier in Kenya. And of course Miller can't help from slipping in a bit of personal 'I first skied here back in 51' nostalgia every so often.

On the downside, Impact felt a little long and I was well ready for the end when it came. Added to this was the completely unnecessary insertion of the word "impact" into as many parts of Miller's narrative as possible alongside a running theme of freedom, seemingly achievable for the white middle-upper class only. There was not an ethnic minority (or non-white majority) in sight the whole film. His quote from a Colorado friend "If you can afford to go to college, there's no need to" says it all. To be fair Miller is portraying the world he knows, and the film has better representation than most of female participation in the mountain lifestyle, including Olympians Kelly Clarke and Hannah Hardaway, as well as Wendy Fisher and free skier Ingrid Backstrom.

Overall Impact, though not challenging, is good solid viewing for those who have an interest in skiing, snowboarding or just spectacular natural environs. Miller documents for us some few reminders of what an incredibly beautiful planet we inhabit. If you can appreciate that you'll likely get your money's worth.