Title: Drift: A New Race

Author: Black Phoenix Films

Running Time: ~37 minutes (+DVD extras)

Format: DVD ONLY

Action: DH, dirt jumping, street

In the absence of an entry from the Glen Jacobs / Mud Cows series for the last few years, Black Phoenix Films have established themselves as Australia's premiere MTB video production house. With their previous titles including the excellent 'Because We Can' and 'Drift', a title who's awesomeness defies explanation it would be safe to say I was more than a little excited when their latest release 'Drift: A New Race' turned up in the mail.

Action:

With footage from Cairns in deepest darkest North Queensland via Fellcrag and the Gold Coast all the way to Thredbo, Jindabyne, Mt Baw Baw and Canberra in the south, A New Race captures some full on racing and off-it's-head freeride action.

Mick Hannah, Bryn Atkinson, Chris Kovarik and Sean McCarroll kick off proceedings, representing for the northern crew and ripping the guts out of trails in Cairns and El Arish. From then on the video heads south, catching the Red Bull Ride, Thredbo National round, some street and skatepark action in Canberra and Sydney and BMX dirt jumping in Newcastle.

Standout scenes for me were Mick Hannah's ridiculously smooth riding at what I can only assume to be the El Arish 4X track and the sequence set to Grinspoon's 'Lost Control' which is one of those rare but special moments in an MTB film that makes you want to just grab a bike and get out and rip something.

Another feature to look out for is Dave McLaughlin's dirt jumping prowess. Seriously, if this boy was an X-Man his super power would be the whip, he throws them with style that makes freestlye motorcrossers cry. Those kah-razy Begg brothers also do some very silly things on low riders at very silly speeds, be amazed at the pace these things can hold through corners.

A new race throws in some BMX racing and jumping action as well as about 30 seconds of motorcross to mix things up a little though in my opinion a few of these scenes fall flat. BMX racing is cool enough but watching Luke Maddill riding by himself at a BMX track was just boring in my opinion, regardless of how smooth the guy is (which is B.S. smooth by the way) 

Camerawork / Cinematography

Some awesome use of helmet cameras is one of A New Races standout features with Dave McLaughlin tearing up some dirt jumps with a helmet camera boom reminiscent of Seth Enslow in Crusty Demons of Dirt 4. It looks sick, end of story.

As a matter of fact most of the helmet camera footage is of a standard that's well above that of most MTB films out there today, so two thumbs up to that.

A New Race manages to avoid one of my pet hates, the dreaded repeat shot but throws up another one all to often; the headless rider. Way too many shots in this video are zoomed in just too far to fit the whole rider in the frame and it makes an otherwise professional production look a little tacky.

Soundtrack:

Grinspoon, Radio Birdman, Hardkandy, Katalyst, Up The Anaesthetic, 88 Fingers Louie, Feature Cast, Vibra, Nylon Rythm Machine, Muzzy Pep.

Originality:

A New Race picks up where the original Drift left off, mixing up footage of Australia's best riders doing what they do, be it downhill racing, dirt jumping, street riding or hucking stupidly big gaps.

A New Race seems to have less of a focus on race coverage and more focus on individual riders than earlier videos by the Black Phoenix crew.

Overall:

The first time I watched Drift: A New Race, I wasn't sure that I liked it, it just seemed to lack that special something that made the original Drift such an awesome video experience.

It grew on me though and while I still don't think it stands up to the level set by the original Drift, I'd be lying if I said it's not an awesome, highly re-watchable DVD. It's all Aussie too and everyone knows Aussie riders ride harder and with more style than anyone else out there, so it beats a lot of overseas productions purely on that fact.

7 out of 10