Quick Review: Raptor - Born in Baja is Rocky for pickup trucks

Autoblog went to the premiere of Raptor - Born in Baja, and while the film is on the long side, it's an enjoyable flick. We wrote before that the truck "only" came in third (out of four total trucks in Class 8), but to finish the Baja 1000 at all is an achievement -- especially when the overall attrition rate is close to 50%. Throw in a truck that had been built in three months and hadn't been tested in any other race before and you've got a little adventure on your hands.

The movie provides plenty more. There's never a good time for things to break, but the Raptor R chose a couple of the most abysmal moments to get sick: it was compelling irony to watch the whole race team wearing "Built Ford Tough" t-shirts gathered around a truck that wouldn't start 90 minutes before the race began.

And if it wasn't the Raptor, it was other trucks in the road holding things up. Still, not only did they get it started, but the Raptor R got to the end with all of its panels and, as far as we could see, no dents -- and it came within minutes of taking second place.

But you'll have to watch the movie to truly glimpse the eye of the tiger... and the thrill of the fight. You can view it on Speed TV on Sunday, July 12 at 4 p.m. EST -- and when you do, look for Pickuptrucks.com's Mike Levine, Jalopnik's Ray Wert, and our own Drew Phillips who make cameos during the SEMA coverage. In the meantime, you can check out the trailer after the jump.

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PRESS RELEASE

Hollywood Theatrical Premiere of New Feature Documentary
RAPTOR – BORN IN BAJA scheduled for June 23
Branded entertainment leaders Brentwood Communications (BCII) team with Ford Motor Company to launch new Ford F-150 SVT Raptor off-road truck in new feature documentary film

Burbank, CA – Reality, documentary and branded entertainment television leaders BCII will premiere their new feature documentary film Raptor – Born in Baja on Tuesday, June 23 at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, California to 500+ automotive and off-road motorsports executives, entertainment industry heavyweights, celebrity guests and press.

Raptor – Born in Baja follows the story of a group of Ford Motor Company designers, engineers and race program directors, along with a number of aftermarket support teams, as they construct, test and unveil their new F-150 Raptor SVT truck to the automotive world by entering it in the toughest point-to-point off-road race anywhere...the infamous Baja 1000. Planned, shot and produced over 16 months, the film's story plays dramatically like the early Apollo space missions, while at the same time making a powerful brand statement for Ford.

"When Ford first came to me to discuss the Raptor project, it was on the heels of our feature documentary Chasing Baja which we had just finished producing and premiering with BFGoodrich" said Bud Brutsman, BCII CEO and the film's executive producer. "I had read in the automotive trades that Ford had told its dealers that the Raptor would be the 'first truck you could buy right off the lot and drive in Baja.' I told Ford...'Let's prove it.'"

Brutsman and the BCII crew followed the Raptor Baja adventure from its earliest planning stages around the board room table at Ford headquarters in Detroit, to the build up of the race truck in Phoenix, Arizona, to the unveiling of the truck to the press at the SEMA convention in Las Vegas, and then on to Baja for the race. BCII worked directly with Ford Racing to plan every inch of the race, from support teams to security, and Brutsman even sat in the cockpit as one of the race team drivers.

"When BCII works directly with a client on a branded entertainment project, we completely immerse ourselves in the product and the brand strategy" noted Brutsman. "We want to make sure that the film, its story and its characters are both compelling and authentic. That's the key to making a great film with a powerful and effective brand message."

In addition to Raptor – Born in Baja and Chasing Baja, BCII has lent its dramatic style to several other successful branded entertainment projects, including the four-part Forza Motorsports Showdown produced for Microsoft and SPEED, the long running series Hot Rod TV based on the renowned magazine brand, and numerous integrated episodes of its hit TLC series Rides. Currently, BCII is lending its talents to car polish and wax giants Meguiars on the new season of their branded series Car Crazy.

BCII has also put its expertise to use in short form brand messaging, producing commercials and webisodes for Meguiars, Royal Purple, Timberland PRO Boots, Home Depot, Ironclad Performance Wear, BASF and others.

Following the June 23 premiere, a one-hour TV version of Raptor – Born in Baja will air on SPEED on Sunday, July 12 at 4 p.m. EST with several additional airings TBD.

About BCII:

Brentwood Communications International Inc. (BCII) was started in 1997 as an international entertainment company located in Burbank, CA. What started as a one-man company has grown into a lucrative corporation, producing over 230 television programs during its ten-year history. BCII's early resume includes the Hollywood Legends series (HBO, BskyB and Fox worldwide), Natural Disasters (the Discovery Channel), Cheating Las Vegas (the Learning Channel), Inside the Britannic (A&E, the Discovery Channel, and National Geographic), U.S. Customs: Special Agents (The Travel Channel), and the four-part mini-series' The Complete History of the Navy SEALs and The Complete History of the Green Berets (History Channel). In addition, BCII became the early world leader in the production of mixed martial arts programming with the U.S. event King of the Cage, currently broadcast on PPV and Showtime.

In recent years, BCII has generated a string of hit prime-time cable series including Rides and Overhaulin' (TLC), Payback, Forza Motorsports Showdown, Livin' The Low Life, Hot Import Nights and Hot Rod TV (SPEED), Living With Ed (Planet Green), Get Out Way Out (HGTV), and Celebrity Rides (DIY), as well as hit feature documentaries including Chasing Baja (SPEED) and Raptor – Born in Baja (SPEED). New 2009 productions include Car Crazy (SPEED) and Bullet (truTV).

The launch of the BCII Commercial Production Division in fall 2006 has included national TV spots and industrial long-form programs for BFGoodrich, Ford Motor Company, The Home Depot, Royal Purple Motor Oil, Timberland PRO Footwear, Mothers Car Polishes and Waxes, Phoenix Motorcars, Ironclad Performance Wear, BASF, U-Coat-It Flooring, Miller Electric and Meguiars Waxes and Polishes.

By adapting their sense of style, characters, drama and storytelling from series and documentary television to long form branded entertainment and short form commercial production, the BCII creative team is doing some of the most powerful and effective brand messaging in the media today.