Brink is a Decent Disney Channel Movie

After seeing Val, one of the actors in Brink, on the newest season of Beauty and the Geek, I was compelled to post this review. Yes, that guy you see on Beauty and the Geek (the male beauty) is VAL! I recognized him after the second episode but couldn't remember where I saw him before. I just KNEW he was an actor, so I did my research and when I was reminded of this movie, it all clicked. Interested in one this beauty's movies? Check out Brink from 1998!

Minor Plot Details (No Spoilers Here!)
Brink is a young teen who eats, sleeps and breathes rollerblading. He doesn't really get along with his dad because Mr. Brinker doesn't understand the Lingo he uses or his obsession with rollerblading. His friends don't always rely on him that much to be on time, but they do like hanging with him because of his love of the sport and the adventurous spirit.

These four friends constantly talk about "soul skating" and how they are not skating for money but instead because they love it. Then there's Val and his team - Team X Blades. This team is all about the money and publicity and Brink and friends don't like it one bit. Besides that, he's a mean mean guy. He shows Brink and his friends no respect which makes them hate him even more. Brink and friends do their fair share of payback...and causing trouble for Val and Team X Blades - is this a good lesson for kids? Well I can say YES it is a good lesson because they all do get in trouble for anything bad they do.

The lessons begin as Brink goes against all his instincts and all his friends wishes to try and join Team X Blades for the money that his family needs. Is this really a good idea? Will his friends understand? Will he really join the enemy? Watch and see!

Actors and Actresses
This movie surrounds four friends: Brink, Peter, Jordon and Gabriella...and one major enemy: Val.

Erik von Detten as Brink is "happy all the time" which his dad thinks is weird. He's all about having fun and reminds me of a surfer guy that doesn't have much brain power (no offense to any surfers out there). However his constant positive attitude, along with the lessons he learns throughout the movie, make him a good actor for the part. (As seen in Complete Savages, So Weird)

Brink: Val and his crew were dissin' us. We started givin' 'em beef right back, but they wanted to hit it right there at school. Clearly, we couldn't step off, so we had to battle.
Ralph Brinker: Don't they teach English at your school? What am I askin' you for? You haven't been there long enough to find out.

Gabriella is a skater girl who doesn't like to act like a girl. She even packs a secret outfit so she can change at school and avoid wearing a dress. Her loyalty is towards her friends and she doesn't believe in "selling-out". Christina Vidal plays Gabriella and she is the perfect fit to balance out these guys. (As seen in Freaky Friday and nothing else I know of)

Gabriella: That's how it all starts. You start doing something for love, then you start doing it for money and before you know it, you're just another sell-out.

Peter and Jordan are the other two friends that are kind of just filler. They needed a group of four so they got these two! Although Patrick Levis and Asher Gold do good in their parts, and also learn some of their own personal lessons, the focus is not really on them.

Sam Horrigan is Val and is definitely a bully. He is all about the money and friends don't even seem to matter to him. I do wish that they would have had him learn a lesson as well, but it seems that in the end he is still a bully! (As seen in Grace Under Fire, Little Giants and now in Beauty and the Geek)

Visuals and Audios
It's interesting to watch these teens skate especially if you've never seen professional skaters before. I'm about 99% sure they used skate doubles a lot and you can actually tell at parts. This is when you have to remember it is a Disney Channel movie and is more about the story and the lesson then the special effects! Don't expect too much.

As for audio, you'll hear a lot of interesting lingo just like Brinks quote above. So be prepared for this and be prepared to laugh a bit at the Disney version of 90s skater lingo.

The Lesson
Although it is okay to do something you love for money, this movie does portray the message not to "sell-out". You can still earn money off of what you love (if you ask me) but don't do it JUST for the money, and don't lose your passion in the sport because you want more money.

The movie also has a lot to do with sticking with your friends and family and those that are always there for you. Hanging with the enemy just for money, or whatever the case, is not the thing to do! Brink learns how much his friends and parents mean to him as the movie progresses.

Movie Mood and Genre
This is a Drama/Family movie that also shows a lot of the sport of rollerblading. Well actually most Disney Channel Movies are Drama/Family Movies such as this and can help your kids learn about sports at the same time as learning lessons about life and family.

For Who?
Although you may be worried that Rollerblading is a dangerous sport for your kids to get into, this movie should really show them what it means to stick by their friends and those who have been reliable. The plot seems to be based on teens, so the movie is probably better suited towards teens.

Adults like me may see this movie as laughable because of the way these rollerbladers talk and act. It is a little cheesy! "Brink: We skate for fun. We're soul skaters." Does anyone really talk like that? Or did they even talk like that in the 90s?

Some of the other Disney Channel Movies are interesting for Adults and kids alike, but this one I could only watch so many times. It's a good movie for teens and pre-teens, but you may want to go clean the kitchen or something because it's not that exciting for adults after you've seen it a few times. Unless you like to watch it as a joke because it is easy to laugh at once you've grown up.

Conclusion
This movie used to be on the Disney Channel all the time, but the latest trend seems to be towards movies like High School Musical. It's always worth it for them to watch a movie like this even if it's just to get the lessons out of it. If your kids are into skating or any similar sports, check out your TV guide or maybe even rent it if you can. Enjoy!!