'I, Superbiker Clash of Nations' is a very interesting take on the 2015 MCE British Superbike Championship, and in particular the battle for the title between Australian Josh Brookes, Lambeth-born Shane Byrne and Kendal native, James Ellison. The film shows behind the scene's access that not many race goers would get to see, and it highlights how the rider's put everything on the line in order to win.
This film is part of the 'I Superbiker' series and does not disappoint, and lives up to the other titles that have come before it. Writer, producer and director Mark Sloper has built up years of trust within the BSB paddock, and this shows through the access that he has - not with just the main rider's in the film but with journalists, team owners and fans too.
The film details every race in the BSB calendar, with special focus on the 'Showdown' and how the main protagonists cope mentally and physically with overcoming obstacles; from crashes to mechanical failure, with unprecedented contact to team bosses and the rider's friends, family and crew chiefs.
Clash of Nations starts from the very first race and is chronological in its format, so if someone watching this has never seen a single British Superbike race all year then that is fine, as you get up to speed (literally) with what happened in all twelve rounds - starting with the historic Donington Park circuit and ending with the triple-header race at Brands Hatch in Kent.
Commonwealth gold medalist and all-round motorbike racing nut, Derek Redmond provides the narration. He is a keen follower of all things British Superbike and his knowledge of the series shines through. Redmond is seen as the story-teller in the Clash of Nations, but he is not overused and allows for ultimately the riders themselves to tell their own story of the 2015 season.
The musical score in the film adds to the story. The music director, David Palser adds to the tense and nervous nature of the races and a haunting tune is used when the camera closes in on the anxious faces of the rider's friends and family - adding to the drama that is motorcycle racing.
There is good use of archive of the riders Josh Brookes and James Ellison's BSB journey. What I enjoyed was the detailing of Brookes' transformation from the 'bad boy' of the paddock to a firm fan favourite, with archive footage of him as a floppy haired youngster onboard the HM Plant Honda bike in particular.
It was also heart warming to see how much Ellison, Byrne and Brookes sacrifice to make it to the top, with Ellison living in his motor-home full time to fund his race ambitions. Also I almost forgot just how many set-backs Ellison had in his career and how in 2015 he rode through the pain after breaking his left wrist after a huge crash at Thruxton.
It was also refreshing to get an insight in to the minds of crew chiefs and the team owners, and how they put their money and time into getting their rider's on to the top step of the podium. The film has great access to PBM team boss Paul Bird, Byrne's crew chief Johnny Mowatt, Milwaukee Yamaha's team owner Shaun Muir, team manager Mick Shanley and Brookes' crew chief Stewart Winton.
**Spoiler alert** For those who may have been sleeping under a rock for most of last year and may have missed who actually won the BSB title... it was Milwaukee Yamaha's Josh Brookes, and the film does well in teasing that fact. So those who may have missed the season find out near the end who actually wins the BSB crown and it keeps the cinema-goers guessing.
This will appeal not just to fans of BSB but to anyone who loves a good story about achieving your dreams. I do not think many of us understand what fully goes on behind the scenes in motorbike racing. All the majority of us see are expensive machines all going the same way around a track on TV, but Clash of Nations has definitely changed my perspective on all things racing, and gives a real account of what goes on behind the scenes in the garages.
The film shows how the team is not just one rider but a plethora of committed hard-working people, who all want to do their utmost and put everything in their work to win and succeed. So is this film worth going to see? The answer is a very definitive yes.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 - just enough race footage and human interest stories to appeal to both motorbike racing fans and non-BSB goers alike.