Surfs Up

Review by Kris Ashton

There’s an unexamined (and completely inaccurate) theory in Hollywood that if you check a certain number of boxes, you will have a hit movie.

This specious idea is especially prevalent in the world of children’s animation, where a film can be put together as if from an ingredients list: megastar voice talent [check], anthropomorphic characters [check], physical humour [check], injection of adult themes or innuendo to keep the adults happy [check].

But why does Finding Nemo go on to make about a trillion dollars, while Shark Tale fails to make back its production budget? Executives and bean counters must furrow their brows over such questions each day, and the answer is simple: it’s all about the story, stupid.

Surf’s Up is a shining example of a kids’ movie that succeeds on the strength of its story and its characters. It introduces us to Cody Maverick (Shia LaBeouf), a diminutive penguin living in the Antarctic town of Shiverpool. Maverick loves to surf and dreams of becoming world champion in the sport. His passion began as a child, when legend of the waves Big Z (Jeff Bridges) visited Shiverpool and gave Maverick his necklace. But Maverick’s mother frowns on his ‘unrealistic’ aspirations and adjures him to be more like his brother Glen (Brian Posehn).

When a scout (a cleverly animated sandpiper) comes by, a desperate Maverick fluffs his chance to impress, but through sheer determination finagles himself an invitation to the Big Z Surfing Championship (which were inaugurated following his death in a huge swell). Maverick befriends a chicken (Jon Heder) – who is himself a misfit in his community for his love of surfing – and they prepare to compete against the current champion, a penguin named Tank Evans (Diedrich Bader).

However Maverick wipes out in his first attempt and he begins to question himself and his abilities. It’s only when he is introduced to a reclusive penguin living in the island’s jungle that he discovers the true nature of the sport he loves.

Surfing is the ideal subject for filmmakers because it comes with location, cinematography and drama built in. Turning it into a kids’ movie is another prospect altogether, but directors Ash Brannon and Chris Buck have made a good fist of it in Surf’s Up. It’s fun from start to finish, the jokes generally work and it preserves the spiritual essence that makes surfing a lifestyle as well as a sport. The voice actors really sound like they are enjoying themselves (as distinct from Mike Myers, who sounded positively bored making the lacklustre Shrek The Third) and the sentimental moments stop short of being saccharine.

Surf’s Up does have its rough patches. Other than the waves, the animation is largely forgettable, there is an inappropriate and unnecessary ‘pecker’ joke, and the decision to have Kelly Slater and Rob Machado voice two penguins that share their names is inexplicable. But these are minor faults that do nothing to scuff the overall gloss of a well-written, well-acted piece of entertainment that is certain to delight children and adults alike.

4 out of 5

Surf's Up
Australian release: 13th September, 2007
Cast: Jeff Bridges, Shia LaBeouf, Zooey Deschanel, James Woods, Jane Krakowski
Director: Ash Brannon, Chris Buck
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