I didn’t know what we would find in The Fourth Phase.
Until November of 2015, details of the film were kept under lock and key, a feat respectable in itself during an information age of instant gratification. But here’s what I did know. Four years, millions of dollars, one of the most talented crews ever assembled, and if anyone knows how to roll out the red carpet, it’s Red Bull.
Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium is no easy place to fill. Yet more than 5000 seats were occupied with anxious and excited minds; myself among them. What would we see from the mind of Travis Rice? How far into the depths of his relentless drive would we go, and what will we experience the further we descend? What will we unearth at the core of an individual that does not accept defeat?
It’s easy to see the resources that went into the production of this film. The visuals left me in awe of this incredible Earth, and the feats performed by Travis, Eric Jackson, Mark Landvik, Bryan Iguchi, Mikkel Bang, Pat Moore, and the entire crew absolutely shined on the big screen. Accented with a live performance by artist Kishi Bashi, their journey was bound by the hydrological cycle, the process of how water changes states and travels across the planet through weather, ocean currents, rivers, and everything between. This cycle brought them to Wyoming, Japan, Russia, and Alaska, and you will find that it certainly didn’t always cooperate with their ambitions.
While this adventure was unfolding, our understanding of Travis’ complexity slowly trickled through the screenplay. That trickle grew, finally bursting into a cascade of fear, frustration, and acceptance. This film crescendoed in a way that I never saw coming from Travis Rice, whose incredible optimism has become both his greatest strength and weakness.
What we found was a man, not the superhuman we all imagine him to be. To see this unfold was one of the most profound experiences I have had in snowboarding cinema.
Travis Rice and The Fourth Phase go on tour until the online premiere, which will be October 2nd on Redbull.tv
Join a screening or organize your own here.
Pre-order The Fourth Phase on thefourthphase.com
Watch the official trailer for The Fourth Phase
Photos shot by Jens on the Sony A6300.
