Surfing, rollerblading and finally, a documentary about extreme skiing.  STEEP traces the sport of extreme skiing – dangerous speed downhill skiing down mountains without limitations imposed by ski resorts and insurance companies from the initial beginnings to its current form.  More interesting are the interviews with the pioneers, such as Bill Briggs and others like Doug Coombs who when the film was completed, has died from a fatal fall trying to help a fellow skier.  They speak, expectedly of how crazy they are, how inspiring are their feats and how it is to live their life with adventure.  Writer/director Obenhuas takes his film to the steep slopes of Iceland, Alaska and Chamonix among others.

STEEP is naturally stunning shot by cinematographer Erich Roland and effectively scored with thankfully not overpowering music. 

For a film about extreme dangerous living, STEEP plays it very safe as a movie.  It is structured chronologically, follows the standard patterns of documentary making (interviews of participants and experts, footage of the sport, history and future etc.) and avoids controversy.  Though the narration emphasizes the large number of casualties and deaths involved in the sport, Obenhaus never shoots any disasters or injuries.  The only mishap captured in this film is a slight avalanche in which the three survivors congratulate each other on being alive.  Somehow the scene feels staged as I am sure the trio are aware that they are being filmed.

By nature of its subject, STEEP is never boring and naturally exciting especially for one who have taken the plunge down the slopes.  (I am an intermediate skier myself.) Obenhaus’ film is never preachy.  Though one (in fact the majority of audiences) will not agree with this kind of lifestyle – one fall and you die - Obenhaus still looks favourably at this different breed of human beings.  Still, STEEP feels like an advertisment for sponsors of the sport of extreme skiing or whatever other exotic name one wants to call it.