SURF'S UP

by Jane Louise Boursaw

MPAA Rating: PG for mild language and some rude humor.
Suggested Ages: 6+
Released in Theaters: June 8, 2007
Reel Rating: 3.5 out of 4 Reels

Should you bring the kids? Yes, but this movie includes some crude humor, including the usual passing-gas and poop jokes, as well as some innuendoes about trophy-fondling and chicken nuggets. All completely unnecessary, in my mind, but a good movie-with-a-message, other than that. For more info, see "Bringing the Kids" below.

THE STORY: Cody Maverick (voiced by Shia LaBeouf) is a teenage Rockhopper penguin living in Shiverpool, Antarctica. He's the island's hottest (and only) up-and-coming surfer, always ready to hop on his ice-board and catch a wave.

Unlike the other penguins, Cody thinks there's more to life than toiling away at the fish factory every day. He feels that winning a surfing trophy will bring him the love and respect he deserves. But he gets very little support from his family. Mom Edna (Dana Belben) and older brother Glen (Brian Posehn) don't understand his need to be different.

But Cody takes to heart the lesson he learned from legendary surfer Ezekiel "Big Z" Topanga (Jeff Bridges), just before he rode his last wave: find a way, because that's what winners do.

And that's just what Cody does, hitching a ride on hyper-caffeinated surf scout Mikey Abromowitz’s (Mario Cantone) whale and heading to tropical Pen Gu Island, where the Annual Big Z Memorial Surf-Off is about to take place. Along the way, he meets Chicken Joe (Jon Heder), a goofball surfer from Wisconsin who learned the sport by riding the icy waves of the Great Lakes.

When they arrive, it doesn't take long for Cody to fall head over heels for Lani Aliikai (Zooey Deschanel), a tough, sassy lifeguard on Pen Gu. After an awkward introduction, Cody escapes down the beach to save himself further embarrassment. He runs into Tank "The  Shredder" Evans (Diedrich Bader), king of the nine previous Big Z Memorial Surf-Offs, who's using a monument to Z for target practice. Cody is about to start a fight with the big bully when famous surf promoter Reggie Belafonte (James Woods) steps in and turns the fight into a mini surf-off, which Cody quickly loses in an embarrassing wipeout.

Lani brings the unconscious surfer to the home of her friend, Geek, a washed-up surfer who quickly revives Cody. Geek just might be able to help Cody win the championship, so he takes the teen under his wing, teaching him how to make his own board, ride the waves, and understand that surfing isn't just about winning.

While the plot follows the usual kid-movie format – follow your dreams, it's ok to be different, learn from your mistakes – this movie has a unique twist in that it's a film-within-a-film – a mockumentary that follows Cody's journey with cameras.

There's also a lot of attention paid to detail. The characters have some depth, and the surfing scenes look real because they're patterned after real surfers. And unlike many animated movies where the actors never see each other, "Surf's Up" was voiced with actors in the studio together, which makes the dialogue seem more real. The characters ad-lib and talk over each other, just like in real life.

Also, in a summer of sequels, it's nice to see a fresh story that's not based on anything previously done – unless you count the plethora of penguin movies in recent years.

BRINGING THE KIDS:

PRESCHOOLERS (ages 2-5): Though this movie is animated and features cute, talking birds and animals, some of the content is inappropriate for preschoolers. The storyline features crude humor, including the usual passing-gas jokes, a few innuendoes (including trophy-fondling), and jokes about poop and chicken nuggets. A better option is the PBS Kids TV series, It's a Big, Big World, a puppet-based show about a gigantic tree filled with homes of all sorts of interesting creatures, including Snook the sloth, sibling marmosets Smooch and Winslow, a tree frog named Wartz, an anteater named Bob, a bird named Burdette, a fish named Ick, an old monkey named Oko, and an ancient turtle with a map of the world on her shell. They're all very different, but manage to co-exist peacefully and happily.

GRADE-SCHOOLERS (ages 6 - 10): While the ultimate moral of Surf’s Up may be “follow your dreams,” Cody learns that focusing on the end result isn't necessarily the best way to live. Maybe finding joy in the twists and turns along the way is what life is all about. The storyline features varying degrees of disrespectful behavior (none of the Shiverpool residents understand Cody), but it's all good in the end.

TWEEN / TEEN (ages 11+): This movie is a good lesson in the power of friendship and the importance of accepting help from others – especially when you think you've got it all figured out. Cody and Geek are two loners who become best friends when life throws them together. Geek teaches Cody about the joy of surfing, and Cody helps Geek enjoy life again. It's a win-win situation. While this movie is aimed at grade-schoolers, it's fun for tweens, teens and adults, too. 

SCORE: 3.5 out of 4 Reels.

JANE'S REEL RATING SYSTEM:

One Reel – Pathetic. Even the Force can't save it.
Two Reels – Tolerable. Coulda been a contender.
Three Reels – Thought-provoking. Something to talk about.
Four Reels – Wow! The stuff dreams are made of.

Read my other reviews HERE.