WFG RATING: A

Vision Films presents a Fantastic Films International production. Produced and directed by Dylan H. Brown. Cinematography by Dylan H. Brown, Dan Sohner, and Pete Thompson. Edited by Dave Wruck.

Starring Pete Thompson, Sammy Podhurst, Pine Pienaar, Zach Smith, Chris Tomer, and Will Gadd.

The story of one man’s attempt to paraglide through one of the States is documented in this emotional and inspiring story. 

Pete Thompson has always loved paragliding. Since the first time he tried the sport, he found it to be his passion. And all the while, he has had one goal in mind: to paraglide through the entire state of Colorado. After two failed attempts to achieve the target, it has not let him down. It has not made him think second thoughts. With the determination and the support of his loved ones, Pete is hoping the third time will in fact be the charm. 

Very rarely do we get a story of courage and determination from someone who could be an underdog in the world of documentaries. We may see it in feature films like Rocky, The Bad News Bears, and even Warrior. But that’s mostly fictionalized accounts. When it comes to documentaries, it is quite fascinating to see the story of someone who will risk it all to make their dreams come true and makes you root for them to succeed. 

As with the case of Pete Thompson. He knows of the potential dangers of paragliding and yet, he still finds it his passion. The adrenaline rush of flying for miles is a sense of freedom for him. We learn about his humble beginnings and there are interviews with both Thompson’s parents and his longtime girlfriend (who says when she first met him, thought he was a playboy type). We also have interviews from the likes of a local meteorologist as well as one of Thompson’s mentors in the sport. 

When Thompson decides to make a third attempt at paragliding through Colorado, we see the determination and optimism Thompson takes. Knowing that weather will be a major factor in his journey and attempt. We see him trekking, camping out, and even stopping at small food trucks as he treks to Wyoming as part of the attempt to achieve the dream. What’s great about Thompson is that we don’t see him as someone willing to give up, but keep going with such optimism. Always brandishing a smile, Thompson was ready for anything and it shows that even in the most dire situation, his optimism could be a factor in succeeding.

Wingman is emotionally inspiring as we see the story of a young optimistic paraglider achieve a dream that on the surface, may be impossible. However, you will want to root for him and hopes he achieves it. A great documentary to check out.

The film is now available on Demand.