Dust 2 Glory

This documentary is a follow-up to director Dana Brown's 2005 film Dust to Glory, focusing on the Baja 1000 race and the 3 other races that comprise what's known as the World Desert Championship. In the year of the filming nearly 1500 entrants along with 270 vehicles in 35 different classes (ranging from motorcycles, to VW Bugs, to super trucks) will compete against the clock, along the dangerous and grueling 854 mile stretch of the Mexican Baja Peninsula, where the terrain can quickly change from mountains to dust filled deserts in a flash.

The strengths of the movie, as I see it, are in the often remarkable backstories and motivations of the diverse line-up of racers, and why nearly all seem so determined to return and compete here each year. However, as another reviewer mentioned there are too many featured competitors with only glimpses of who they are, as they keep appearing from time to time in the film. This can certainly be somewhat confusing to the viewer.

All in all, I liked the enthusiasm, diversity, and camaraderie of the race participants here, but I would have wanted to know more about their individual stories and why competing in this grueling race was so important to them each year. Perhaps, focusing on a few featured competitors would have given viewers a more focused presentation.