WAITING FOR LIGHTNING

WAITING FOR LIGHTNING is a captivating documentary about Danny Way, an extreme skateboarder whose painful childhood helped drive him toward extraordinary athletic achievements. The film keeps you on the edge of your seat as he prepares for a dangerous skateboard jump over the Great Wall of China.

The documentary finds inspiration in Danny’s determination to push through hardship. But that determination sometimes borders on self-abuse and suicidal behavior. The film also presents freedom as breaking free from social expectations, while offering no God-centered answer to Danny’s pain. Foul language and bad behavior further complicate its appeal.

If you are a discerning adult who can engage those concerns, this gripping documentary may be worth your time. For children and young teens, choose something else.

Danny Way begins skateboarding while growing up in a broken home marked by his father’s death and his mother’s struggles with alcohol and drugs. Skateboarding becomes his escape and, eventually, his calling.

He enters competitions young, turns professional at 15, and gains a reputation for fearless, record-breaking stunts. The documentary follows him toward his most dangerous challenge yet: attempting to skateboard over the Great Wall of China.

Three stars means this is a strong, captivating documentary with notable concerns. WAITING FOR LIGHTNING is gripping from its opening setup, drawing viewers into the engineering challenge and physical danger of Danny’s mega-jump.

The film’s account of Danny’s rise is compelling, especially as it traces how skateboarding gave him direction amid a difficult childhood. Its suspense is real, and the extreme stunts can leave viewers on the edge of their seats. The documentary’s limitations are less about filmmaking than about its worldview and content, which keep this from being a family recommendation.

WAITING FOR LIGHTNING presents Danny’s skateboarding as an escape from the brokenness of his childhood and as a way to push beyond pain, limits, and social expectations. That determination can be inspiring. Yet the film’s ideal of freedom sometimes becomes self-abuse or suicidal risk-taking rather than responsible courage.

The documentary is devoid of God or faith. Danny describes his jump over the Great Wall as a statement of freedom in a controlled China, giving the film an anti-communist element. That stance may be laudable, but it does not provide a biblical account of freedom, suffering, or human purpose.

The film’s deepest longing is to overcome hardship and find freedom. Scripture offers a steadier refuge: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

WAITING FOR LIGHTNING is gripping and often inspiring, especially in its portrait of determination overcoming hardship. But its reckless behavior, troubling content, and Godless view of freedom make it unsuitable for children and young teens. For discerning adults, the answer is WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY. For other family options, see.