Liquid Bridge

Ryan Kwanten gives a the sort of performance which clearly helped secure his spot in the TV series Summerland...and the brunette is hot! A good, by the books, thriller, but set around the world of surfing, which gives it the point of difference. Strong artwork and perfect fodder for the late teens/early twenties film goer. People might remember Skippy's Tony Bonner as the wheelchair bound ex surfer...and father to Ryan. Always a strong character actor, Bonner lends a level of maturity to the otherwise youngish cast. Wave action varies a little from slightly grainy to top quality but overall takes the viewer on a nice, warm ride. Watch for some cameo roles from former Aussie surfing heroes.

Liquid Bridge is the cinematography hero! Mesmerising visuals...relaxing, exciting, inspiring and evocative. The ocean scenes are majestic and incredibly beautiful, not to mention the quality surfing footage. The visual quality of this film is outstanding. Particularly enjoyed solid performances by Lani Tupu and Nathaniel lees. Both actors have that magic,impressionable film presence and their scenes linger on long after viewing the film. I enjoyed the in depth range of emotions covered in this film. The characters have a real and evolving presence which is believable and engages you on their emotional journeys.

It's not often we see a good surf culture film. When surf videos became the rage, I bought every single one. In amongst them were some real doozies. Like 'Beach Cool' and 'Seven Waves'. There were others that engaged like 'Five Summer Stories' a well produced documentary and the classic 'Big Wednesday'. Liquid Bridge covers the generation gap. The story of a young man trying to overcome his fear of big waves and compete on the world circuit against the wishes of a wheel chair bound father who is trying to stop him competing. The performances are first rate. Ryan Kwanten is indeed a star in the making, he is supported by a stella cast including Tony Bonner, Jeremy Simms and Carmen Duncan.....but the best part of the film is where Ryan Kwanten finds himself in prison. The direction and photography are in a class of their own.

Liquid Bridge has everything - Big Waves, steamy love scenes, a gripping story and wonderful visuals. Supported by great acting and a rockin' sound track, LB delivers like a perfect wave peeling at Pipeline! At last, a film about surfing that actually works!!

The newly inaugurated Gold Coast Independent Film Festival is screening a cross section of Australian films this week. One of them was "Liquid Bridge" written and produced by Phil Avalon. It was an example of what producers can put on the screen when working on an "Independent's" budget. Some strong performances and jaw-dropping footage of surfers riding mountain sized waves are audience pleasers. Eye candy for both sexes is plentiful but the film has a real heart beating underneath. There's more than enough sex, drugs and surfing to go around but the basic story of a young man stepping outside of his father's shadow is touching and in good hands in this film.