Blue Crush

BLUE CRUSH (2002) **1/2 Kate Bosworth, Michelle Rodriguez, Matthew Davis, Sanoe Lake, Mika Boorem, Faizon Love. Better than anticipated surfer flick with the twist on the genre by focusing on a Hawaiian based determined young female athlete (Bosworth) attempting a requiem two years after a near fatal accident while competing is buoyed by her family of friends and a vacationing quarterback (Davis) factoring as an unexpected blossoming romance. The connect-the-dots plotline of social graces hinder the otherwise excellently lensed moments of visceral, adrenalized thrills in shooting a curl with massive walls of water in all its colorful fury by cinematographer David Hennings while director John Stockwell (who co-wrote the screenplay with Lizzy Weiss' adaptation of Susan Orlean's magazine article) balances the melodrama affectively with the totally awesome hydrodynamiques on display. One gripe: would it have killed the filmmakers to show some more of the paradise playland for a travelogue begging to be showcased?

From the thoroughly mediocre school of filmmaking, here comes director John Stockwell's 'Blue Crush'. Its graduates...uh, actors include Kate Bosworth, Michelle Rodriguez, and a bunch of other pretty people you've never heard of. Bosworth is Anne Marie, the super-talented surfer with a confidence problem. Before the movie is half over, she's in love with a pro quarterback and struggling to gumption up for the big all-girls surf championship. It's your standard 1980's Tom Cruise picture.

If a movie with such modest ambitions is supposed to make you want to go out and take up surfing, I say, hand me my 'Point Break' DVD instead. Sure, 'Blue Crush' is professionally made and the camerawork is fine, but how hard is it to pretty up shots of the Hawaiian ocean when it's in the form of gorgeous, humungoid waves? That's a natural beauty that speaks for itself and doesn't need Hollywood to flaunt it. As for the screenplay by Lizzy Weiss & Stockwell, well, they're proficient with the surfing lingo. They're also absentminded enough to bury their various hanging plot threads in an undertow. The flick is not trying to be a deep meditation on the entire wave-lovin' experience, but that's no excuse for staggering along with such a sub-par story.

As unremarkable as they may be, the female leads are about the best thing in the film. They all look smart in bathing suits---the words "woo hoo" come to mind---and they're fairly natural. Plus, these likable babes don't grate with too many, "you go, girl" comments. Rodriguez even smiled once or twice, which confirms that she DOES have more facial expressions than just snarling and pouting. But despite the physical beauty of the waves and the girls, the film they're in is generic goop. Parents will be happy that all the sex is kiss-kiss-fadeout, there's nary a drug, and only a handful of cuss words. All the same, I'm certainly not happy with the content of 'Blue Crush'. It's just not tubular, dude.

In Hawaii, Anne Marie Chadwick (Kate Bosworth) is a local surfer girl, who had an accident three years ago when she was on the top of her career. She almost died in a huge wave, but now she is preparing for an international competition, with the support of the best friends Eden (Michelle Rodriguez) and Lena (Sanoe Lake), and her younger sister Penny Chadwick (Mika Boorem). Anne is traumatized with her accident, and is quite afraid of the big waves, but she aims to achieve a sponsor to follow her career and have the necessary financial support. Some days before the competition, she has a crush on the football player Matt Tollman (Matthew Davis). 'Blue Crush' is a good popcorn film, having a shallow story but compensated by the wonderful places and the big waves in Hawaii, and the very beautiful young cast. An excellent entertainment for a Saturday or Sunday afternoon for the whole family. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): 'A Onda dos Sonhos' ('The Wave of the Dreams')

For all you wanna-be critics out there trying to be negative about the directing and cinematography, lighten up! This film is excellent in the fact that it does not try to be more than it is... a surf flick. Its obviously not trying to win an Oscar or a bafta. cant any of you simply enjoy a feel good movie? the filming of the waves and the surfing was top class and even though the acting was not Oscar worthy in any way shape or form i think it was impressive that they embraced the surfing culture and used local people in this film.

For all of you out there who like to just enjoy a films and don't feel that you need to be completely baffled, shocked or made to think you will enjoy this. Yes it is predictable but who cares its just a bit of fun.

For all of you who hated this film just because the plot was predictable and the acting was substandard i draw your attention to a gentleman named Sigmund Frued; "Some times a cigar is just a cigar"

I don't understandn the reviews people are giving that sound like they expected so much more from this movie. Pretention, I'm guessing. The cast was great. Plenty of laughs. Stunning shots in and out of the water and a happy ending. It certainly isn't the most profound movie, but I'm pretty sure they werent going for that anyways. I like it for a feel good movie. I've watched at least ten times and I still enjoy it for what it is. If i want a riveting storyline I'll watch something other than a surfing movie, duh.