In every popular sport, there is one name that most Americans recognize regardless of how much or how little that person engages with the sport or related sports media. Household names include basketball’s LeBron James, soccer’s David Beckham, and baseball’s Babe Ruth. Skateboarding never quite had the same reputation as these classic American pastimes, yet Tony Hawk shifted the game so drastically that he made his name known across the globe. Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off beautifully articulates how Tony Hawk’s determination led him to unparalleled contributions to skateboarding as both a sport and culture.

In its humble beginnings in 1970s Venice, California, skateboarding looked entirely different from what it has evolved to be. It was similar to rollerskating; that is, the rider executed elaborate spins and footwork on flat ground. During this time, young surfers were compelled to search for an alternative activity for days when the waves were flat or when the older locals were particularly hostile. As a result, legends like Stacy Peralta (who is heavily featured in the documentary), Jay Adams, and Tony Alva developed the surf-skate style. These were the core members of the Zephyr skate team, the Z-Boys.

Peralta’s fictionalized film Lords of Dogtown and the documentary Dogtown and Z-Boys follow skateboarding’s early transformation, documenting the shift from street style to vertical, or vert, skating. However, during this time, skateboarding was still associated with scoundrels — high school dropouts who liked to trash their local streets, terrorize ordinary folks, and bust into neighbors’ backyards to drain their pools for vert sessions. Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off almost serves as the second chapter of skateboarding’s journey to what is today: a sport that has earned its place on the Olympic stage, all thanks to Hawk’s revolutionary skateboarding.

Hawk’s Ambition Sparked Reinvention

The film highlights Tony Hawk’s undeniable influence on the sport and how he is directly responsible for its globalization. In the documentary, Stacy Peralta reflects upon running the skate team Hawk would join and stir the dynamic of. Hawk shares that Peralta heavily influenced his own interest in skateboarding, and he would eventually wind up representing his team operating out of Del Mar, California.

In the film, Hawk’s former team members Rodney Mullen and Mike McGill explain that because Hawk began as the underdog, he was determined not just to compete alongside his older peers but to excel. He would surpass them shortly thereafter, regularly dominating the competition and introducing unprecedented maneuvers such that judges had to revise their curricula. The interviews with Peralta, Mullen, and McGill (all greats in the skateboarding world) show just how much they admire Tony Hawk; they are still in awe of him and his extraordinary accomplishments.

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In the documentary, we learn just how serious Hawk’s dedication to landing a trick is. The introductory scene shows Hawk on his half-pipe, attempting the 900 over and over again. There is so music, emphasizing the intensity of the moment. He slams repeatedly. He becomes frustrated and even screams, but he will not quit. He will not even wait until the following day to resume. The film provides fresh insight regarding the magnitude of his dedication, and as such is a wholly inspiring true story.

Tony Hawk suspects he has attempted well over 10,000 McTwists, or 540s, in his lifetime. He has sustained multiple injuries ranging in severity, including at least 10 concussions. He was the winner of the first ever X-Games, where he continued to skate even after his round had officially ended. He had attempted a 900, a feat that his professional peers had previously thought physically impossible to achieve. The film depicts this incredible historical moment, building palpable suspense.

His turn is over, but he climbs the half-pipe ladder again anyway, totally focused on his goal. He drops in and tries again a second time. He is getting closer, and the crowd is growing louder. A third attempt. A fourth. A fifth. After several attempts, he does it, and we see the crowd and officiators alike lose their collective mind. The scene still induces goosebumps. Hawk does not give up, hence the title, Until the Wheels Fall Off. According to the film, Hawk has invented over 100 skate tricks, many of which are staples in the sport today. His defiance of the laws of physics have captivated a global audience.

A Worldwide Platform

Even before the 1995 debut X-Games, Hawk inspired a generation of skaters. Skateboarding became a popular hobby, as evidenced in the film; Hawk shares that at 17 years old, he was earning $300,000 annually from his skateboard line alone. His success at the X-Games, however, boosted skateboarding to gain the platform it needed in order to explode in popularity the way it did. In 1999, the first Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater came out. The wildly successful, groundbreaking video game franchise has created 19 subsequent games in his name. Hawk recalls his feeling of utter disbelief upon receiving his advance for the second installment. Tony Hawk was the face of this entire cultural movement.

The documentary thoughtfully expresses Hawk’s eventual boredom with his competitive career, granting public access to a little-known aspect of his career that would eventually be the catalyst that shifts the trajectory of his career and skateboarding as a whole. There are clips of him interviewing at competitions as an apathetic teenager, disinterest written all over his face. The film does an excellent job in highlighting the depth of his despair.

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Amidst his stagnation, the film details the rediscovery of the root of his love for skateboarding: his neverending search to accomplish something new, something bigger, something more dangerous. He is also known for his affiliation with the Jackass crew, pulling painful stunts alongside epic pranksters and pro skaters Steve-O and Johnny Knoxville. The world watched as he launched himself across gaps between buildings, successfully skated an upside-down loop, showcased flashy new tricks, and continued to raise the stakes of vert skating.

The film comes full circle, concluding on a bittersweet yet fitting note, as it is a continuation of the opening scene. Tony Hawk was the man who was once unable to be stopped, to the point that his friends and family feared for his safety and, at times, his life. Now, in this poignant moment, we see that Hawk recognizes that he is past his prime. In a moment of relief, happiness, and sadness, Tony Hawk lands his last ever 900. He is seen collapsing to his knees, exhausted and overcome with emotions, cupping his hands over his face. Although he is retired from his professional career, the film reassures the audience that, at 53 years old, he continues to skate at least three times a week.

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