This film is edited crazier than a Czechoslovakian porn trailer. Seriously though, I wanted to watch this for the graffiti and the artists' stories behind the scenes, but it was edited too fast for my eyes to soak anything in. Totally killed any desire to keep watching.
Rolling Like Thunder
2021
Action / Documentary
Rolling Like Thunder
2021
Action / Documentary
95% - Critics
5.9Plot summary
Before street art became mainstream, the anonymous outlaws of "freight writing" put graffiti on the map. One of the most extreme and risky iterations of the art form, freight train graffiti culture has a rich history, laden with myth-like artists, remarkable romances and competitive graffiti crews. Delving into the underground subculture reveals the deep connection between graffiti and the American landscape, as well as the artists' obsession with putting life and limb on the line to make their voices heard.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
Director
Top cast
Tech specs
720p.WEB 1080p.WEB 2160p.WEB 655.4 MB
1280*714
English 2.0
NR
Movie Reviews
Reviewed by
If you like non-stop quick-cut editing, you'll love this doc
Reviewed by
Trudging Like A Sloth
Nothing "Rolling" here. It would have been nice to see some interviews of people that a directly affected by the graffiti/vandalism. It would have been refreshing to see a bit a balance. Sadly this was not the case.
On top of that, this was not in the least bit entertaining, engaging, informative, etc....
Blame lies squarely on the producer, director, writers, etc...
Not recommended.
Reviewed by
Rollercoaster Ride
The interviews with Maple, Dr. Daks, and Ichabod are great, and reminiscent of some of the classic graffiti documentaries. They give insightful looks into the culture that remind you why graffiti is cool. Definitely where this doc shines the hardest.
Other parts of the doc can feel like an anti-graffiti PSA. Theres a lot of runtime dedicated to explaining that trains are big and dangerous. There are some tragic examples, but it feels tedious.
There's also a lot of time showcasing the relationship/life struggles of older-generation writers. Sad and real stuff, but most people aren't putting on a graff doc to hear about someones divorce. Conveying that being obsessed with trains isnt a turn-on doesn't really require 30 minutes of screentime.
The beef segment is cringe beyond belief. Guess the doc needed some drama but talking about beating people up in a freight yard in front of your kids isn't a good look.
There are several aspects of freight graffiti that are left out, and that would have been great in place of some of the other segments. Most obviously is that younger writers are almost entirely omitted, and in a documentary about a historically youth-driven culture, this feels like a missed opportunity. Interviews with younger writers to supplement the parts with the og's would have made this a more complete picture of freight graffiti, and given some fresh insight that hasn't already been well documented.
Overall, its worth a watch, but might not deserve a spot on the shelf with the classics.