Search - The Hard Road on DVD

Worth watching

afbg02 | San Francisco, CA United States | 10/06/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This is a rough cut documentary about the Net Zero cycling team. The film provides a somewhat illuminating view into the world of a few rookies entering professional cycling.

There are, however, some fundamental flaws. The director straddles the fence on whether to target an audience of cycling fans or a more general audience. It's a tough thing to do, and I can't say that they've done a great job of that here. There are some nice simplifications to ease the way for those unfamiliar with bike racing, but they frequently slip into platitude. As a cyclist, I was a bit dissapointed in the lack of sophistication in the narration.

As a small technical note, the sound editing is rough, creating a pressured narration that is distracting.

The fundamental flaw with this movie is that it remains fairly superficial. There is little insight into the racers themselves. They do a great job of interviewing the wives of two of the rookies, raising some tough issues on balancing competition with obligations to family. The movie never goes back to follow through on the issues they raised. The movie ends with the last race of the season, leaving a number of important questions unaddressed. It's a shame the filmakers didn't do a more comprehensive job. Professional cycling is a sport that requires obsession, not just commitment. The material is ripe for a compelling documentary. I think the filmakers just missed the bar here."

Great documentary on professional cycling

MCB | NC United States | 07/06/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"So, you want to follow in the footsteps of Lance Armstrong? You might want to watch this DVD first. This is the story of the NetZero pro cycling team. It shows the sacrifices required to get a foot in the door of pro cycling.
Very interesting documentary, explains pro cycling in basic terms that someone new to the sport can easily understand!
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