Film Review: Anthill x Redbull's "Anytime"

I will never forget watching the femme freeride segement of TGR’s Esperanto , laughing as a young Sophie Gregory documented the experience with a selfie-stick GoPro (and a wholesomely honest attitude) and snapping fingers in agreement with Chelsea Kimball when she chirped the outdoor industry for relegating women in adventure films to being mostly talking heads. “I just wanna see riding," she stated.

Years later, and it seems that at least a few filmmakers out there were listening, because while the room was overheated with a standing-room-only crowd and the music too loud (hello, hi, it’s me, your favorite geriatric Millennial film reviewer), Anthill’s latest flick, Anytime , which debuted at Crankworx Whistler this past weekend, doesn't just give give equal athlete spots to the gals, it gives them equal airtime - and, in so doing, confirms that we never need to go back to "there's only room for one" era of women in adventure films.

Adventure films, for me at least, are always a slightly comical affair. The real goal, or at least what audiences expect, is eye candy (we’re all Chelsea: we just wanna watch our heroes do the damn thing), but production companies often try to work in a plot line, which rarely ends up feeling coherent. In Anytime, a few voiceovers do try to make some ephemeral points, but, overall, the film doesn't lean too hard into any messaging much beyond “bikes are fun and the people riding them are pretty badass" - and in my opinion, so much for the better.

Where Anytime does deviate from the norm is in its roster, which includes Robin Goomes , Hannah Bergemann , Vinny Armstrong , Casey Brown , Lucy Van Eesteren , Harriet Burbidge-Smith , Carson Storch , Emil Johansson , Brett Rheeder , Thomas Genon , Patricia Druwen , Brage Vestavik , Kade Edwards , Cami Nogueria , and Vaea Verbeeck . In other words, over half the athletes featured are femme folks, which I'm pretty sure is a first for a mountain bike film. There's also novelty in how those athletes get their screentime: cuts are rowdy, fast-paced, and ride-oriented, with very little to no interview footage detracting from the adrenalized action.

Overall, I had a lot of fun watching Anytime . The obligatory moments of e-x-t-r-e-m-e s-l-o-w m-o-t-i-o-n can feel a little overdone at times but, to be fair, if I could do what Emil can on two wheels, I’d probably wanna make sure people caught just how many times I spin, rotate, flip, twist, grab, toss and otherwise magician my body and bike, too. I do wish there were more femme folks represented on the production and digging side of things (gals can work RED cameras and wield shovels with grit and grace, too, in case that was the question) but, overall, the film entertains and inspires.

Lastly, for a movie that spans both the globe and the farthest reaches of the human emotional spectrum (I’m not gonna be able to re-watch the Brett x Brage collision again anytime soon... woof), Anytime does a pretty cohesive job of choosing how and what to include in the final cut, and I walked out of the venue (yes, way past my two-feet-in-the-grave bedtime) feeling hyped about bikes and in awe of what the riders at the sharp end of our sport are accomplishing. Oh, and also very proud of my coworker Dylan for his work as a builder for the Oregon segment.

To catch Anytime as it continues on its world tour, head to the film’s website for showtimes near you.