All This Mayhem

In the 1990s when skateboarding was reaching a pinnacle moment in its history, the passionate and talented individuals were claiming the rewards. Though nearly everyone has heard of Tony Hawk, other equally as gifted skateboarders were demonstrating themselves in this era too: Australian born brothers Tas and Ben Pappas are the perfect illustration of this.

All This Mayhem is the candid and intense account of the journey between two brothers to achieve worldwide success in the skateboarding industry. Their strong bonds are evident from the offset and it is their loyalty and allegiance that spurs them to achieve great wonders and set a precedent for future skateboarders – which is a marvel to behold.

The documentary is comprised of interviews, home videos and a diverse selection of skateboarding films used to examine each defining moment of the brother’s lives. We watch from close proximity as the children skate around town, meet and train with their idols and finally win the most exalted worldwide competitions in skateboarding. Although the budget to achieve this would have been relatively low, it’s these features that make All This Mayhem the personal and effective masterpiece that it frankly is.

Naturally though, when fame and money present themselves to teenagers it can often lead to a negative place, and unsurprisingly this was the case for the Pappas brothers. Although the documentary is rife with their success and accomplishments it also contains a dark undercurrent of drug abuse, depression, prison and death – conventions that are distressing to watch, but lead for a truthfully moving and emotional narrative.

You do not need to be a skateboarding fanatic to appreciate this documentary as the story is so well crafted, entrancing and captivating that it will have you on the edge of your seat regardless. Also, if you have any preconceived notions of skateboarding then All This Mayhem is likely to blow your opinions right out of the water.

Keira Trethowan

All This Mayhem is released nationwide on 4^th August 2014.

Watch the trailer for All This Mayhem here: