Documentaries have always been a part of my life. I enjoy watching them, but have never really had the opportunity to review one. This is a first for me, and the subject matter makes it all that much better. Pretending I’m a Superman: the Tony Hawk Video Game Story is an upcoming documentary from Wood Entertainment couldn’t come at a better time. With the looming release date of the first true remaster of Tony Hawk 1+2, there is much anticipation around this documentary.
Director Ludvig Gür brings us the story of how a video game rocked our world and impacted many different industries, not just video games and skateboarding. The documentary dives into a brief history of skateboarding from its mainstream inception in the late seventies through the rollercoaster ride of popularity the sport endured until the release of Tony Hawk Pro Skater in 1999.
I have been a fan of the sport since I was a little tyke, and have been a fan of the series since day 1. There was still so much I learned about how the game came to be and the continued growth, and failures, of the franchise through the years. Featuring interviews with Steve Caballero, Rodney Mullen, Chad Muska, and many other skaters, developers, and individuals affected by the franchises profound impact, including some of the bands who earned newfound fame thanks to a video game that grew into a $ 1.4 billion franchise. And of course we hear from the man himself, Tony Hawk, about some of the pitfalls of bringing this to fruition, and the choice made that would alter his life forever.
Whether you’re a fan of skateboarding, videogames, the franchise, or just documentaries in general, you will love the intimate, yet extraordinary, journey that chronicles the rise of arguably skateboarding’s biggest name. Be sure to check out Pretending I’m a Superman: the Tony Hawk Video Game Story when it arrives on digital platforms on August 18, 2020.
5 stars out of 5
