Scott Lindgren initially got interested in the sport as a means of escape but it quickly became a way of life. A life that is beautifully documented in The River Runner. The documentary tracks his immersion as an early pioneer, to his ambition of paddling through the four great rivers of the Himalayas, and through his ultimate test of surviving a brain tumor. The River Runner is a movie of life and passion that is accessible to anyone who appreciates, even if not fully understands, that driving need to get to the next river.

The documentary laps between Lindgren's early family life in suburbia California, the start-up of his career and production studio, and into his personal traumas and health. Through it all, bridging sequences highlight Lindgren's quest to kayak the four great rivers diverging from the Himalayas into Tibet, China, India, and Pakistan, all of which are insanely rough yet magnificent waters. The footage throughout is amazing. From spectacular full-frame vistas to intimate Go-Pro shots. Lindgren loves kayaking and wants that love to be on full display.

The River Runner is a mesmerizing movie that shows the majesty of nature and man's attempt to conquer it, that is, at least a small part. This is not a gratuitous compilation of YouTube clips showing the wild and unhinged lifestyle of some kayaking brah. This is Scott Lindgren's life and director Rush Sturges shows everything from adrenalized heroics to soggy undercarriages.

I've been kayaking a few times. It's fun. Only in calm waters though. The water and kayaking in this documentary is not calm. The River Runner follows Scott Lindgren, pro kayak dude, who's rode some of the gnarliest rivers in the world and sets out to be the first man to tackle the four great rivers that flow from Tibet's Mount Kailash. It's classic dramatic extreme sports doc territory in many ways. Telling Scott's back story of family, growing up in a rough part of the US, brotherly bonds, social nonconformity and outdoor adventures. It's feel good stuff. Kids catching a break, finding a positive focus. That's a key word here, focus. Both in the necessity to have it on the water and the natural focus that Lindgren's obsessive nature gives him. It's built around tons of interviews from Lindgren, family and the extended family of like-minded adrenaline junkies, all spliced together with a ton of home video archive and photos, gleaned from a catalogue of their self produced kayaking films. It's gripping action, but not without an emotional heart. This is dangerous stuff, you can get hurt and people are lost. It's next level kayaking, top level, but Lindgren is a bit of a 'fuck it let's go!' kinda guy. They all tell the story really well. You can feel the passion, the excitement, the danger even now after the events we see onscreen. Despite the skill and talent shown here, it's clear that there's a hefty dose of luck too. These guys look like inconsequential objects in the midst of nature's raw power. Again though it's the emotional undercurrent that packs as punch as Lindgren finds the pressures of success counter to his love of just being on the water. This is much more than a film about Kayaking. There's a huge human story here that's both familiar and fascinating. I'm not going to get into spoilers, so let's just say the twists are not confined to the river. You might come to this for the sweeping drone shots, GoPro footage and white water, but it'll be Scott's story that will anchor you. Proper redemptive positivity stuff!

The first half of this docu covers Scott Lundgren, a somewhat arrogant youth with his group of kayaking friends, their devotion and obsession to their sport having climbed the proverbial ladder to it from White Water Rafting which is made to look safe and easy next to it. A few friends are lost along the way and the groups next and biggest ever target is to kayak the four rivers which lead away from a Sacred Mountain bordering Pakistan. Scott who doesn't accept weakness or failure drifts away from the sport after the final river beats them. He becomes ill and needs an urgent operation and has to take a sabbatical for several months which extends into years. By chance he meets one of the sports biggest stars who offers Scott the opportunity of joining his 'team' who are going to Pakistan. He puts his life on hold and they head off. It's my own personal view that what happens after this occurs because you can see how he has become more humble, more accepting, more philosophical and less judgemental of others. HE himself is really unsure why what happens, happens, and in the films last 10 minutes or so you can see all this come together.