Movie Review - Surf's Up


Julia Roberts factor:						4/5
Macho factor:						1/5
Babysitter factor:						5/5
Get Lucky factor:						2/5
In-law factor:						5/5
Of Mice and Men factor						1/5
Wrap-up factor						0/5
Se7en factor						0/5
Reel rating:						3/5
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Reel commentary: ... I can't believe I'm saying this, but Surf's Up works. If only audiences will give it a chance, they'll discover an eye-popping delight with plenty of laughs and loads of heart-warming charm ... full review

Movie Review

By Frank Wilkins

Did we need another penguin movie? No, we really didn't. Will the public accept yet another movie featuring the cuddly flightless creatures? Sure, but certainly not without a lot of grumbling. I know I certainly bristled with skepticism many months ago upon learning the Hollywood money machine would once again attempt to latch onto the coattails of the March of the Penguins craze. Folks, I can't believe I'm saying this, but Surf's Up works. If only audiences will give it a chance, they'll discover an eye-popping delight with plenty of laughs and loads of heart-warming charm. It'll most assuredly get lost in this Summer's cacophony of buccaneers, ogres and arachnids, but once you get your fill on all that over-hyped outlandishness, come on down to the other end of the Multiplex. I promise, you won't be disappointed.

The first thing you'll notice about Surf's Up is that it's not a tale told in the typical linear fashion of most animated features. Instead, directors Ash Brannon and Chris Buck present it as a documentary or reality-television show covering the Penguin World Surfing Championship. It's kind of like a tongue-in-cheek illusion that the camera just happens to be following along – a la Survivor or The Amazing Race. Our view is from the jerky hand-held camera lens of a not-so unnoticeable film crew as they follow the rebellious teenaged Rockhopper penguin, Cody Maverick (voiced by Shia LaBeouf) who so badly wants to shed the uncool stigma of his dead end fish-sorting job on a patch of ice in the bitter Antarctic town of Shiverpool. To pass the time, Cody surfs chunks of ice on what little waves he can find, most of them created by passing whales or falling ice shelves. But Cody dreams of one day going to Pen Gu Island to surf in the Big Z Memorial Surf Off, so he literally jumps at the opportunity when a scout, in the form of a pushy sandpiper (voiced by Mario Cantone), visits his town looking for surf-off contestants.

Once on the island of Pen Gu, Cody meets up with his boyhood idol, the great surfer, Big Z (Jeff Bridges) who, on an earlier visit to Shiverpool, imparted a bit of wisdom that Cody now takes to heart: "find a way, because that's what winners do." And thus, the film's message is born.

Cody Maverick (voiced by Shia LaBeouf, left) and Big Z (voiced by Jeff Bridges, right)

All images copyright © 2007 Columbia Pictures

Big Z, or Zeke, has since dropped out of competitive surfing and now bides his time as a recluse, eating clams and growing fat. The relationship between Cody and Zeke becomes central to the film as the two find kindred spirits in one another. Like Simba and Pumbaa in The Lion King, Zeke and Cody initially think they have nothing in common. But as their time together grows, the discovery of lessons to be learned drives their friendship. Zeke teaches Cody to surf, and Cody shows Zeke the way back to the life he once loved.

Standing in the way of Cody's dreams of winning the competition is Tank (voiced by Diedrich Bader), the nine-time cup winner with expectations of making it ten. Tank has ruled the surfing roost on Pen Gu Island ever since Zeke supposedly died in a tragic accident some ten years earlier. But with Zeke's guidance, along with the support of the stereotypical surfer dude, Chicken Joe (voiced by Jon Heder) – who hails from the surfing hotbed of Sheboygan, Wisconsin - and the lovely Lani (voice by Zooey Deschanel), perhaps Cody has a chance after all.

If you've seen any of the great surfing docs – Riding Giants (2004), Step Into Liquid (2003), or Second Thoughts (2004) – you'll appreciate the historical surfing references and you'll understand what the filmmakers are doing. Not only do they go for laughs – and mostly succeed - they also pay loving tribute to the culture of the surfing world, all the while gently poking a bit of fun at reality television and blowhard sports-talk.

With so many characters displaying such vivid personalities, you're sure to find someone to latch onto and call your own. The filmmakers deployed an innovative technique while capturing the actors' voices. Unlike in a typical animation voiceover, the actors recorded their sessions with several other actors together in the booth at the same time, giving the dialogue a very natural, improv-ish feel. Sometimes they even talk over each other, just as would happen in real life.

Don't be scared away because Surf's Up is yet another movie featuring penguins. Trust me, no one harbored more skepticism than I going into this thing, but neither did anyone walk out more pleasantly surprised.

Frank Wilkins

Comments

Frank Says:
June 10th, 2007 at 11:54

More Surf's Up quotes:

"A winner is someone who doesn't knock me off my surfboard; Tank's definitely not a winner"

"I can feel it in my nuggets."

"I'm gonna chum the water with your head!"

"That's the fourth time you've passed out this week, I really don't think the lack of oxygen is good for your brain"

Yoyo Says:
August 4th, 2007 at 10:44

More Surf's Up quotes:

"Excellent film, the review above does have some spoilers about Zeek!!"

Perri Says:
August 30, 2007 at 01:39

best movie
saw the preview last night
its more for kids over the age of 10 but it was sooo....funnny my favourite movie (:

Nicky M. Says:
August 31, 2007 at 11:24

Gonna see it tonight.... hope its good!!!

WildChild Says:
September 16, 2007 at 22:24

"He's a dirty trash can full of poop."

"Dude, she's totally into you! She called you crap!"

"It really wasn\'t that easy for him growing up. He never really knew his father."

"My brother was the big egg, I was the little egg."

"You know, we've known each other way back since, like... yesterday, I think it was."

"I hope the cameras are rolling because you\'re gonna want to watch it over and over."

The best movie I've seen in a while besides Ratatouille. Funny, with loads of memorable quotes. Great characters with real spark.

Rook Says:
Nov 9, 2007 at 04:27

"Yeah well i love this movie. A couple of my favorite scenes are: when the little tiny penguin keeps trying to go in the water and keeps falling down face first, the little legs of the bird when he walks, when the little penguins have those little interviews- like the part where Kate's surfboard breaks and the other penguin tries to put it back on haha.. :] loved the movie."

DVD Information

Screen Formats: 1.85:1

Subtitles: English; French; Spanish; Closed Captioned

Language and Sound: English: Dolby Digital 5.1; French-Canadian: Dolby Digital 5.1; Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

Other Features: Color; interactive menus; scene access; making-of featurette; "Lose Myself" music video by Ms. Lauryn Hill; original short "The ChubbChubbs Save Xmas".

Surf's Up (2007)