Surf's Up (2007) User Reviews (165)

Dances all over Happy Feet!

[simonparker1990 · 8/10 · 15 August 2007]

What is it with this sudden surge of penguin movies appearing? Or penguins appearing in movies? I've always found watching penguins on real life TV programmes to be very entertaining because they just seem, well there's no other word for it, cute. But just recently Hollywood has seemed to start to overuse them a tiny bit. March of the Penguins I suppose really kicked it all off. I can't see what all the fuss was about that documentary and quite why it was the success it was. But it was an interesting movie. Then came along Madagascar, while admittedly not completely about penguins the penguins that did feature were undoubtedly the best things in the entire movie. Since then penguin items, TV shows and penguins on our screens have been appearing like crazy. It reached its pinnacle in my eyes last year when Happy Feet arrived on our big screens. Now I really wanted to love Happy Feet, when I first watched it I actually did adore it. But after multiple viewings I realised something, it was actually pretty boring, and way too depressing at times for my liking. Its animations was beautiful, but it just didn't live up to its potential. When the first trailers for Surf's Up arrived I didn't know what to make of it. Dancing penguins is one things, surfing penguins is just plain ludicrous. I felt like Sony were merely cashing in on this penguin phenomenon. So what a pleasant surprise to find that Surf's Up is not only a movie that'll appeal to both kids and adults, but also the best animated movie of the year so far! The fact that its a surfing penguin movie didn't make it as good as it is, no the movie succeeds for daring to try something different. A mockumentary style movie somewhat reminiscent of Creature Comforts, trust me if you like Creature Comforts you will adore this movie. The script is well written, the voice cast absolutely brilliant, hell even the animation surprised me for being very well done. If it has one fault its that its obligatory sentimental streak felt a little bit too forced for my liking. Nevertheless this is a small fault in an otherwise enjoyable and very well made animated movie.

The voice cast of the movie are particularly brilliant. Shia Labeouf leads the cast as surfer wannabe Cody. Labeouf was until recently one of the few actors I could not stand to see on a screen. My past experiences with him on movies were usually films that cast him as the annoying kid. For this reason I couldn't stand him. However, then he starred in Transformers and changed my mind completely. He is actually a great actor, he can deliver a joke easily, he's easily likable and he just does everything in such a great way. This shines through again with his performance here, and because of his work in this movie I would be quite happy to see him lead another animated movie some time in the future. His character is always funny, he definitely gets some of the best lines and moments in the movie. Jeff Bridges is pretty good in his role, he works best in the funny moments of the films, when it comes to the sentimental stuff I just found his voice work to be not as good. Jon Heder almost runs off with the movie as Chicken Joe, who got the biggest laugh from the audience. Zooey Deschanel was average I suppose, her character deals more with the icky stuff towards the end than the great comedy stuff. James Woods seems to be having a great time as Reggie, he also gets some great comedy moments.

The actual comedy side of Surf's Up is perhaps the movie greatest success. The mockumentary style allows us to see a different way of making animated movies. The movie of course has to switch to a more movie-ish feel at some points, its in these moments the movie isn't at its best. Whenever they're doing the documentary style the movie is as perfect as you could hope for. Meeting Cody's family at the beginning is pretty hilarious, and meeting all the other supporting characters, especially Tank who has the best scene of the movie with his trophies, is definitely the movies highlights. If you are planning to see this I highly suggest you watch the characters in the background more so than the characters in the foreground, they made me laugh all the time to see them waving at the camera or pulling faces behind the other characters backs. Chicken Joe is definitely best comically, the best scene with him involves a hot tub and the natives, its pretty hilarious, a shame most of the joke is ruined in the trailers.

So what are the negatives of the movie then? Well I suppose if I look at this from a kids point of view then I realise that there are a lot of jokes that might leave the kids a bit cold. The kids will still be entertained for the majority of the movie, especially during the very cool looking surfing sequences, but some of the humour is more directly aimed at adults than anyone else. Also the sentimentality factor obviously starts to kick in towards the end. While its never sickly like a lot of other animated movies are, it still feels a tad forced. I wish for once we could have a kids movie without all the obligatory kiss and make up feel at the end of it. Why can't everyone just still hate each other or something like that? Anyway the sentimentality never makes the film bad at all, its still a great movie.

A Nutshell Review: Surf's Up

[DICK STEEL · 8/10 · 16 June 2007]

It's easy to roll your eyes when you see yet another animated movie starring talking animals, and what more, talking penguins. Guess you can credit the popularity of our feathered friends from down south to award winning films like the documentary which started it all, March of the Penguins, and the other animated movies Madagascar (where they were scene stealers) and Happy Feet. But before you actually decide to pass on this one, Surf's Up a surprisingly refreshing tale set in the bright sunny beaches with laid back "dude" attitude, which doesn't seem to try too hard to please, and comes up just about right.

One of the good things about the movie is the voice talent featured. Like Happy Feet, it contains some recognizable names, but just as a reminder to our Legend of the Sea friends, big names doesn't necessarily equate to good voice acting. Shia LeBeouf (a name which we will see quite frequently over the next few months with Transformers and Disturbia) gets the lead role of Cody Maverick, a surfer penguin wannabe who dreams of making it big in the surfing community. His idol is Big Z (Jeff Bridges), a world champion who had made an impression on a young Cody. However, Big Z is presumed missing in action during one competition, and the new world champion, Tank Evans (Diedrich Bader) looks set to retain his status for the umpteenth time.

The supporting characters too are a delight, with Zooey Deschanel as a Baywatch lifeguard babe and James Woods as a sports tzar, and Jon Heder continues his stereotype by playing Cody's new best friend Chicken Joe, a chilled out surfing chicken who finds himself at probably the wrong place each time and associating with the wrong species.

What made this movie work is that the filmmakers recognize they have to come up with a narrative style that is different in order to engage, and given that it's a sports type movie, they went for a sports entertainment channel style, complete with replicating camera techniques including details like less than perfect wireless camera transmissions (love those on-board cameras, nevermind if it doesn't make complete sense or is illogical), over the top channel transition sequences, and you just gotta love those faux pas interviews with just about every character. If you can't get enough of baby penguins, the filmmakers too are shrewd enough to include these crowd favourite characters in endearing scenes.

With Father's Day mood all round, this movie is apt too for the season, given its theme of family, and bonding with (surrogate) father types. The humour injected ranges wide, from subtle lines and references, to the more obvious physical slapstick moments. I can't resist but to again advise our Legend of the Sea friends, this is what computer animation is about, with its depiction of photo realistic quality of the sun, sand and the sea, with realistic surfer moves, a simple story yet packed with adequate thematic moments, with song and music that don't irritate, but serve to move the narrative along smartly.

Recommended animated movie, despite the overused penguin characters. Stay until after the end credits for a short scene (there's also one played during the credits, so don't walk out of the hall just yet).

Mocumentary style adds a fresh spin to a very family-friendly film

[Movie_Muse_Reviews · 7/10 · 4 January 2009]

With so many CGI animated feature films starring cute animals pouring in and out of theaters year after year, it can be tough to sort through them all and figure out which ones are actually worth taking a family to. "Surf's Up" belongs in the pile with the good ones. Written and animated similar to a Christopher Guest mocumentary film ("Best in Show," "Waiting for Guffman") there's a unique humor to "Surf's Up" that spins the same old underdog storyline into something unusual and fresh that everyone in the family can enjoy.

The focus of this "documentary" is Cody Maverick (voiced by Shia LaBeouf), a rock-hopper penguin from Shiverpool, Antarctica with a dream of getting away from the south pole and becoming a premiere surfer like his idol Big Z. Cody's prayers are eventually answered despite the fact that he has nothing but an icicle surfboard and some serious ambition. He ends up being spotted by a talent scout and makes his way to Pen-gu island just in time for the penguin world surfing championship

When Cody gets challenged before the tournament and fails against the world's best surfer, Tank Evans (Diedrich Bader), he meets some unlikely friends like Joe the chicken (Jon Heder), a love interest in Lani (Zooey Deschanel), and Geek (Jeff Bridges) who helps Cody learn the waves so he can live his dream and compete in the championship.

There are jokes for the whole family here, which is "Surf's Up"'s most admirable trait. There's enough for the adults without too much material going over kids' heads and there's plenty of physical humor that kids will enjoy. The mocumentary style also provides a fresh set of laughs, even though the movie falls in the milder realm on the humor scale. There's also plenty of good values that one would expect from an animated movie focused on a sport: never give up, winning isn't everything, the value of friendship in picking us up when we fall.

The animation is also strong, though much more cartoonish than the penguin movie "Happy Feet." Most interesting is the way that the animation is meant to reflect what it would look like if the movie were being shot like a live-action documentary. One scene follows Lani carrying Cody through the jungle and it looks like a crew with a camera and one main source of light are following her. So it's very cool in terms of film-making, not just mere concept. "Ratatouille" and Pixar's brilliance aside, this would have won the Oscar in 2008 for its ingenuity.

The best way to describe "Surf's Up" is cute. It's unique, sweet and fun to watch. The films in the bad animation pile try and do too much with the humor and in executing grandiose concepts. This movie keeps the plot simple but shows it in a new and amusing way.

We all want a friend like Chicken Joe

[skrt99420 · 23 June 2019]

10/10 for my friend Chicken Joe he was stoned af the whole movie

Hang 7

[hellokristen · 7/10 · 5 June 2007]

It's not the funniest animated movie you've ever seen -- most of the jokes are amusing, rather than laugh-out-loud -- but it does the job.

Sometimes the humor just seems to be "it's penguins doing human things -- get it?"

But it's fast-moving, colorful, and the voice cast is good. (Fortunately, they didn't give Jon Heder too much to do, so he wasn't out of his depth.)

Shia LeBeouf was very good (esp. considering how young he is). Several of us thought it was Bruce Willis doing the character of Cody. Snappy and smart. I liked Mario Cantone as the snarky sandpiper.

The animation is so deft you can actually see subtle emotions play over the faces of these birds. The waves sometimes look real, not animation.

There's a lot of stuff about surfing. Seemed like one of those old surfing documentaries sometimes. I didn't know if the kids could follow all that -- but the 3 little girls sitting in front of me pronounced the movie "fantastic" afterwards, so I guess it did its job.

in a way it almost doesn't matter that they're penguins; it's a bright, amiable homage to surfing documentaries

[Quinoa1984 · 7/10 · 5 July 2007]

Although I'm not the biggest fan of them- mostly because I'm not from an area that has much of the activity around- surfing documentaries like The Endless Summer 1 and 2 have gone through my sights here and there over the years, and it's at least really admirable to see people with a knack that they work at for much of their adolescent/adult lives. The need on the part of the filmmakers of Surf's Up to combine a super-duper conventional storyline with the theatrics of a mockumentary somehow evens out because, simply, it's a funny movie. It's not near the unconventional and bizarrely rich heights of Happy Feet, nor is it informative about the actual creatures (mostly) on display in the picture. In a way, the filmmakers didn't need to use penguins as the surfers, but somehow aside from the given ironic gesture (hey, they're from Antarctica after all) it works because when it comes down to it they're animated creatures serving the purposes of the story and big-time sight gags. And there are quite a few of the latter.

Maybe it's too goofy to really put high on a pedestal as a 'must-see' movie, but I can't really think of many other movies out now that would be more relaxing in a comfortable absurd entertainment than this (or, for that matter, with some cool vibes on a Saturday afternoon at home). It's about an ambitious young penguin who makes it out of his antarctic area (named after Liverpool, of course), and is ready to go all the way in the "Big Z" surfing championship, named after a late infamous surfer. But then through the old twist of fate, he discovers that Z isn't dead, but just in hiding, and becomes an apprentice in a very brief time. A lot of the little twists involved, even with the supporting characters (a chicken voiced by Jon Heder brings out some of the biggest laughs; James Woods is brilliant in one-note form as a Don King styled dastardly business manager to the surfers), can be seen right away. But when taking aside that, the real pleasures of Surf's Up- a movie that looks like from the trailer that it will be really, really stupid- involve the goofy charms and jokes aimed at possibly more mature viewers than the little kids obsessed with penguins.

For one thing, Z is voiced by the best man for the job, Jeff Bridges, who takes part of his Dude character from Big Lebowski and takes on part of the cool mentor; a scene where he shows his young pupil how to fashion a surfboard is classic. For another thing the 'documentary' style sometimes comes in handy for a joke or two (hey, there's a boom mic, and lets have instant replay again and again for a big surf blunder). But above all else it works all as a consistently silly comedy, with only one lapse with the training montage and the only other bother a few unnecessary songs. Where else will we see a little penguin waddling out to the ocean to yell for help just to get attention of the cute penguin lifeguard? And where else will there be suggestive innuendo with the antagonist surfer who's ego has spread to his love for his 'ladies' as his surfing trophies? And the 'natives' are a gas in the same simple mainstream way that were shown in Dead Man's Chest. It's smartly filmed and never too boring, and it's got a real light touch that works for kids and adults, with equal time for absurdity for each.

MOST Underrated MOVIE OF OUR GENERATION

[destrytimmer · 10/10 · 19 March 2017]

If you haven't watched this movie yet do yourself a favour, drop everything, quit your job, divorce your wife if you must, JUST WATCH THE MOVIE. If you have watched this movie before and didn't like it please kindly insert your head back into the butthole it came from immediately. Also why can't I rate this 11 stars hell even 12? To be completely honest I made an account on this website just for the sake of this movie and my burning passion for it, deep in my loins. Besides the first transformers shia labeouf has done nothing great in his career besides this movie and maybe a few memes. Anyways I'm now going to watch this movie again, and again, and probably again. #makesurfsup2

Surf's Up, Up and Away

[dunmore_ego · 7/10 · 2 July 2007]

Despite its mundane title, *Surf's Up* is a totally tubular surfari of relentless comedy and madboy cuteness.

I guess the world having accepted penguins unto its bosom (*March of the Penguins*, 2005, *Happy Feet*, 2006, - to say nothing of *Madagascar*, 2005, *Batman Returns* 1992, or those *Crocodile Hunter* episodes), it was high time to extemporize on the species – by making them SURF. Uh, okay….

*Surf's Up* - a 3D cartoon directed by Ash Brannon (*Toy Story 2*, 1999) and Chris Buck (Disney's *Tarzan*, 1999) – throws penguins to the boards in a documentary-meets-reality-show brouhaha. And succeeds for its brash surefootedness. Following young surfer penguin, Cody Maverick (voiced by Shia LaBeouf), from his thankless job sorting fish on an Antarctic ice floe to the Big Z Memorial Surfing Tournament in the tropics, the film is a Christopher Guest-ish formula of intrusive steadicams, interviews, intricately-overlapping dialog and archive footage (stunning for its yellowed authenticity and scratched plates).

Cody has been a surfing fool since legendary surfer penguin, Big Z, visited his ice patch as a hatchling and bequeathed him a pendant and sage advice on never giving up "because that's what winners do."

Misunderstood by his fretting mother (Dana Belben) and poo-poohed by his big fat slacker brother (Brian Posehn), Cody makes it to the qualifying rounds of the tournament, but is washed out by 9-time winner, Tank (Diedrich Bader), a maniacally-egotistical brick wall of a penguin.

Mario Cantone, doing his best Scorcese, is a talent scout (a plover, I think) who rides a whale around the world recruiting boarders. His promoter boss is a frenetic beaver with a Don King hairdo called Reggie Belafonte (James Woods), a Groucho-like wise-cracker whose non-sequiturs are an absolute riot, at one point telling us to look at the plover's fast-moving feet, going "ticka-ticka-ticka." There are three baby penguins giving interviews, so cute that someone needs to be slapped; while another baby penguin, Arnold, constantly pretends to drown just to be rescued by Lani (Zooey Deschanel), a female penguin lifeguard whom Cody falls for.

I was laughing out loud; kids around me in the cinema were not – I didn't care. It was a pleasure to watch a film supposedly aimed so low, yet crafted so high; a corollary pleasure not having to contend with uneducated kids of uneducated parents, mindlessly guffawing over pants falling down and fart jokes. The Surfaris' *Wipeout* under the end credits meant nothing to these iPod boomers; neither did they realize that the penguin cannibals capturing fowls for their pot never actually cook and eat anyone (the MPAA would have an aneurysm), making them pretty ineffectual cannibals.

Jon Heder once again proves his limitless range by playing a stoner surfer rooster – oh, BIG surprise! – a one-trick-pony chicken. Could we, as a nation, just hire someone from the mafioso to whack that unnecessary actor? I'm sure someone from *The Sopranos* could use the work.

Banished to the jungle, Cody discovers Big Z in hiding (voiced by Jeff Bridges, channeling his "dude" from *The Big Lebowski*), fat on a diet of clams and sunshine, having left pro surfing behind for lack of joy, his main goal to abide in solitude after his crushing defeat by Tank a decade ago. And the movie's "message" comes across loud and unclear; entreating the youthful, adventuresome spirit in all of us, it ends up informing the lackadaisical swine in most of us – when Z teaches that winning isn't everything; it's about having fun.

Message received, Walt Disney… But it's easy to say winning isn't everything AFTER you're a winner. Big Z was a legendary icon – so his advice seems like life experience and rings true. But would anyone take this same advice from a LOSER? (And what happened to "never give up because that's what winners do"?)

Cody's competitive impatience doesn't let him sense the Zen in Z's advice: "Why are we making boards in the middle of the jungle?" The fact that he is a penguin actually IN the middle of the jungle is never questioned. (Yes, kids, some penguins do inhabit the Galapagos, so close to the Equator they could spit at the Northern Hemisphere, but Antarctic penguins – of which Cody is one (either a Rockhopper or Macaroni species, from his headgear) - don't usually migrate to warmer climes and live to tell the tale.)

Animation performances are masterful, as are the *blitzkrieg* vocalizations, not to mention some of the best surf scenes this side of *Big Wednesday*.

I thought could see the end coming: in the final surf-off, Cody nobly loses his advantage by preventing Tank from Kentucky-Frying the chicken; in the process he is thrown off his board by a massive wave which crashes him headlong into Big Z's legendary surfboard, attached to a rock outcrop like a gravestone. Visions of Cody riding Z's board in for a victory accompanied by the Inspiring Music Swell did not materialize, as he goes under, the board is splintered and the chicken wins, while Tank is humiliated by being lifeguard-saved, then tries to steal the trophy because the chicken is so oblivious he doesn't know he's won. Yes, on paper it sounds funnier, but on film it is anti-climactic.

But then we applaud the writers for practicing what they'd preached! (Lisa Addario, Christian Darren, Don Rhymer and Joe Syracuse.) In every movie lauding "fun" over "winning," the underdog usually wins anyway, because Market Research won't support Losers. But this film gives Market Research the middle fin. And the Big Zebowski looks on in contentment as a new generation of shiftless penguin surfers aspire to nothing more than tagging the ultimate tube.

The Dude abides.

A Masterpiece Second to None

[jurandyrsf · 10/10 · 12 October 2010]

I have NO doubt that Shakespere, Beethoven, Da Vinci and many other great artists of the past would be amazed seeing the huge amount of wonderful artwork packed in this gracious, lovely movie.

No amount of praise would suffice to pay due honor to all those involved in the creation of Surf's Up. I can only thank you all for the superb inspiration, work, sensibility and craftsmanship.

Everything is in place. C.G., score, storyline, humor, mood. Lighting, colors - amazing colors, amazing score.

Surf's Up is truly a masterpiece, second to none.

That's the kind movie that really makes you feel joyous, that makes you realize that life is worth living, if not for anything else but for experiencing moments like those I experience whenever I watch this beautiful animation.

I will not comment on Happy Feet in this review

[GSmith9072 · 6/10 · 8 June 2007]

They both have penguins. Big Deal. Whoops...does that count as a comment? Anyway, "Surfs Up" is not a terribly original but fresh and new hilarious comedy just in time to kick off summer. Shot in a unique mocumentary style (that may possibly fly over the heads of youngsters), the visuals are flashy and the look of the film digests well. Water animation seems to be rapidly progressing. The sand forms foot prints. The palm fronds sway in the wind. The film looks great. The story is a cliché, and we know what will happen in the end. The point of the film isn't however to construct philosophical debate, have an amazing story or even create memorable characters. It's a fun comedy, and it's humor is more sophisticated then other past animated comedies such are "Shrek 3". It has a more subtle reflexive quality. We know the story, the characters, and we know the familiar plot (quite like last year's "Cars"), but it isn't the fact that they're penguins that makes the film funny. We only get a few moments were the penguins act "penguiny". They are what they are for pure aesthetic value. A bipedal animal (perfect for surfing) that usually dwells among ice makes for a more pleasing artistic scope. And we're bored with humans. The film succeeds with it's sense of wit. A character like tank, another reflexive villainous character like Peter La Fleur from "Dodgeball", is a hoot to watch. The same for main protagonist Cody Maverick, a familiar trophy craving teen who is easily out of place amongst the elders. The film will win no Oscars, but animated films need not be restricted to epic stories and exercises in perfection. However, it is rather uncomfortable that the genre in America is restricting itself to this type of humor. Or really, does all animation have to be humorous even? But, at least this film takes the convention one step further. The documentary style doesn't wear out its welcome or include any truly objectable material for a PG film, and with a sparing running time of 85 minutes, it's fun to see something different.

I loved this movie!

[remanifest · 9/10 · 9 June 2007]

As an old surfer, and a lover of penguins, I was totally PUMPED for this movie! So I went out to see it last night, and I laughed several times. One of the most awesome things to me, was how Big Z encompassed the ideal of just having fun and letting everything go while you surf. You've got to watch it to see that, but really, this movie is spectacular. The animation is great, the characters develop nicely, and the "documentary" format adds to the humor aspect of it.

I don't know about the comparisons to Happy Feet, but it seems rather weird to get all upset because there's another penguin movie out on the market. Bottom line, for me, is that this movie was very fun to watch, and I thought it had some classic bits of humor. It may be a bit too much for some younger kids, but it was great for me. I loved this movie!

Nothing but Good Vibes

[JS-War17 · 7/10 · 28 November 2019]

I loved this movie growing up, and would recommend it for anyone who is looking for a well animated feel good movie. With cheesy humor and a great cast with tons of chemistry, there is nothing about this film that warrants any negative feedback. That being said, there just isn't anything all that special about this movie. I mean sure there are tons of surfing penguins and some pretty good underlining themes but nothing that we've never seen before. The animation was solid and I am always baffled at the clear small waves they create but still just nothing revolutionary, However I must admit I did love the documentary style approach they took, this added a little extra depth to the story telling medium.

I am going to give this movie a 7/10 because despite being a feel good movie there is a tone of mediocracy that can not be overlooked.

Surf-up? not a good surf.

[ez-36 · 3/10 · 10 June 2007]

Hi everyone. this movie did not meet our expectations why? the way the film was presented on Previews it look like it was going to be an extremely funny movie, however it was very disappointing. not only to the kids but the grown-ups got bored as well, kids where not having a good time like they did on other animated movies. i took the liberty to ask some of the other movie watchers what they think about this movie, they were very disappointed like we were. we are comparing this film with other titles like Happy Feet, Cars , Over the edge , so we were expecting a better funny film or same funny film like the movies we just mention above.Unfortunate for our taste, Surs-up needed it a lot more then just waves to become a funny film.so my suggestion is wait until it comes on DVD and spend your money on a better movie.

Never thought penguins could be this cool !

[ichocolat · 29 July 2007]

Truth be told.. After watching Happy Feet, I thought Surf's Up is just another run-of-the-mill movie with the same storyline, But I'm mistaken. This movie is a bit like Happy Feet, in that it has the same lovable penguin characters with nice animation, but there's where the similarities ends.

Surf's Up brings a new way of telling an animation story. The characters are being interviewed by the media, making it feels like we are watching a reality show.

The story revolves around Cody Maverick & the Surfing Competition being held at a seaside. Cody maverick is an ardent fan of Z, the legendary surfer who 'disappear' when he was being beaten in the competition against it's arch-enemy. I can tell you more but it'll only spoil the movie. =) The animation is superb, the characters are adorable & easy to be identified with, the voice over is amazing, & the storyline is simply refreshing !

Quite good movie, great children's movie

[bjs3171 · 7/10 · 9 June 2007]

Earlier this night I caught a showing of Surf's Up. To my very pleasant surprise, this was a clever children's comedy, that with, maybe 10-15 minute's more "footage" would be among the great sports movies. at least those that are animated... in the same way that the incredibles is among the great comic book (type) movies. I won't go into a summary, the comment right before me does a fine job at that. But this is a well told story with some funny characters, good character development, and an engaging, if not wholly original, story. Oh yeah, and the animation is beautiful. If you're looking for a good family movie with, you know, actual story telling and jeff bridges go see this. you should have no problem getting a ticket.

Beautiful animation, photo realistic.

[havoke-74121 · 7/10 · 21 May 2021]

The film is clever, and has more than a few memorable moments. If you want summer fun you got it. If your expecting a new "Toy Story" it's almost, almost there.

Fantastic movie!!!! (May contain spoilers)

[madmanmike1980 · 10/10 · 20 June 2007]

Surf's Up is DEFINITELY one of the greatest animated movies of all time. It has great character designs, tons of humor, and plenty of heart. This film also has superb, quality voice acting from many popular T.V. and movie stars (one refreshing thing about this movie is that Sony doesn't use the celebrities' names to overshadow the film like other studios usually do) including Shia LeBouef (Holes, I Robot), Jeff Bridges (The Last Unicorn, The Big Lebowski), James Woods (Straight Talk, Ghosts Of Mississippi, Hercules), Diedrich Bader (The Drew Carey Show, The Country Bears), and Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite, The Benchwarmers). Another good thing about this movie is it doesn't rely on puke and snot to get laughs. Even though it's somewhat predictable, it's not just another penguin movie, the "mockumentary" angle gives it a unique twist. This movie is a MUST-SEE!!!! Don't wait for the D.V.D., please go see it now. WAY TO GO SONY!!!! Hope there'll be some sequels and a T.V. series someday in the future.

(Note: even though the movie is fairly family-friendly, it does have some mild innuendo and the movie's villain says part of a curse word before getting cut off.)

Very well voiced, fun animation mockumantary

[runamokprods · 7/10 · 17 November 2013]

A really sweet, good-natured animated film about a surfing penguin that dares to posit that having fun is more important than winning. It's got an original (for animation) mockumentary approach that encourages an amiable improvisational feel to the whole thing, particularly the actors' voice recordings. Reportedly the cast really did record together in the studio, instead of in the usual isolation, just so there could be that kind of comic by-play.

On the other hand, it never really rises from the pleasant and witty to be deeply funny, or moving. And while some of the small story twists, and the structure is novel, the basic characters are pretty stock. Some people have called it a Christopher Guest film in animated form, but for me it lacks the complexity of characters that makes Guest's weird worlds so amazing. None-the-less, I'm glad I saw it, and there's certainly enough for a grown-up to enjoy. I just wished it had blown me away.

Not just another penguin movie...

[ekproject · 8/10 · 22 May 2007]

First off, I got the chance to watch the Hollywood premiere here in Hawaii with the cast being there to watch it too. Due to the recent release of penguin movies, a lot of people are turned off by them. Please do not judge it so. I admit, at first I was turned off by it being a penguin movie and I couldn't think of anything new. Although this type of story has been told before (what story hasn't?), it's always interesting to see how it will be presented. And I liked it. The characters and events keep you in the movie. Yes, you're gonna have to deal with penguins and their habitats, but it won't be for long. And besides, this is no happy feet, which I liked also. This movie has an amazing cast with enjoyable characters. So be ready to laugh your butt off because I pretty much was. Great family fun movie, or just a movie for you. Now I regret watching it so early (May 20, 2007) because now I have to wait until June 8 to watch it again. = (

High hopes, shattered

[ronney-2 · 6/10 · 8 June 2007]

I'm 37 and I took my 4 year old to see this movie. I loved the animation in this movie and the story line was the same regurgitated Hollywood "crap." Speaking of "crap", they used this word and others in this movie as well as your pee pee and poo poo jokes they throw in for the kids. Every time they said something like this I was hoping it was over her head. She liked it and was very entranced. I hated it and hoped I would be put out of my misery soon. Please understand that I've seen every CGI movie that comes along because I am a graphic artist. You'll love the animation, but if you're older than 35 you'll recognize this story as every "sports" movie you've ever seen. Maybe I'm getting picky in my old age, but if you're over 35, I'm sure you are too. So in other words, it's for 7-8 year olds and up to high school. It's a true PG movie for that age group.

Most boring movie ever!

[dth_blade · 1/10 · 6 October 2007]

I watched this movie expecting it to be something like cars or over the hedge. Something with a good plot. Boy, was I disappointed. It was the most boring movie ever. The whole movie is a documentary. There is way too much talking, and not nearly enough action. Without spoiling anything all I will say is that the Cody, who is the main guy, gets beaten and, after a adventure, he learns a lesson about life.(remind anyone of cars?) It's similar to Cars, but instead of racing, we have surfing penguins. The BIG difference between this and Cars, which was pretty good, is that this was filmed as a documentary. Waaaaaay too much talking and very little action.

Surg and Surfing

[pdwebbsite · 8/10 · 10 June 2007]

The previews drew me in, and when a rainy weekend coincided with Surf's Up coming to the local theater I went. Here I am old enough to be a grandmother and I love animated films. And the animation makes the film. The water is surreal in how lifelike it is with all the variegation of color. The plot of little guy, big dreams, dream crash, dream re-found, and priorities set straight is definitely cliché. It's how it all gets there, is what we spend our $5.00 matinée for. The voice talent is perfect: Jeff Bridges as the laid back Z, Shia LaBeouf the young hero in the making, Jon Heder as a stoned chicken from Michigan, and Zooey Deschanel as the good-hearted lifeguard who keeps secrets well. They made the movie flow.

As for the penchant of "children" movies using poop and pee for laugh lines--I ask why? It didn't add to the movie, and it certainly lowers it. It's as if they are afraid the movie won't hold up on its own without a bit of naughty and disgusting jokes. Hey, leave it alone and let the movie go. Urinating and flatulent penguins just aren't that funny. Lots of other funny stuff. Like I said to the floor sweeper when he asked me, "Was it any good?" It had it's moments.

It is entertaining but not great.

[richieandsam · 6/10 · 14 April 2014]

SURF'S UP

I liked this, but was still a little disappointed.

The movie is about a penguin who does not want to be an everyday normal penguin. His dream is to become a world champion surfer like his hero Big Z... so he leaves the comfort of his home and family to chase his dream and enters the biggest surfing contest.

I quite liked the way this film was made. It was shot like a documentary. It felt like there was a camera crew just following this penguin as he goes on his adventure. There were interviews and other "real life" reactions from all the animals around. It was a really nice angle to take.

I thought a lot of it was very predictable which was a shame. There were not many surprises in the movie, although there was one twist that I was not expecting that was good.

The voice work was very good. Shia LaBeouf was the voice of Cody... the runaway penguin. Jeff Bridges was the voice of Big Z... the world champion surfer. Other voices were provided by Zooey Deschanel, Jon Heder & James Woods.

My favourite character was Chicken Joe. He was so funny and by far the best character. He could have easily had his own movie.

The animation was very well done. It is amazing how good it is these days... but I do still miss the drawn animation.

I thought the story was quite slow in places and was hoping for a little more. It was entertaining, but I thought compared to other kids films this one was quite forgetful. There was not a lot in it that would stick in my mind.

I will give this film 6 out of 10.

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Painful to sit through

[Listen_to_the_Law · 3/10 · 2 July 2007]

What do you get when you blend boring characters, a overly-simple plot, and nice animation together? The answer is Surf's Up, an extreme disappointment of a movie that is not at all what it markets itself as. The trailer seemed to be targeting all ages (and genders, for that matter- a large penguin simulates sex with a surfboard!) by seeming to have a smart sense of humor and a "new" idea- surfing penguins. Now granted, movies starring penguins are nothing new or innovative, but that's not the problem here. There is far too much talking going on here, and most of it centers on useless "small talk" that isn't even relevant to the movie. The attempted jokes are a mess also, ranging from poop jokes to "the audience is dumb" jokes. Folks, there is nothing funny here.

The movie follows aspiring surfer Cody Maverick as he attempts to live up to the legacy of Big Z, a surfing legend who mysteriously disappeared. Many would think that a so-called surfing legend would be an entertaining guy, but Big Z is the exact opposite- boring, cliché, and unentertaining. To be quick, he is unintentionally over-the-hill. Cody's friend, Chicken Joe (Heder) is about as dumb as his name. He's unintelligent, he's a chicken…we get it. Every movie always has to have a brain-challenged side character, and Surf's Up is no exception. Eventually, young Cody starts acting all tough and challenges the current surfing champion to a competition. It is here that Cody meets a female lifeguard to whom he falls in love with. That's the story in a nutshell. I can't explain it any better without spoiling it. Yes, it is that cheesy.

I do not recommend seeing this movie.

Good) nice water effects Bad) stupidly realistic characters, simple-as-hell story, immature, not funny Disney/Pixar) An animated movie normally fails if not done by either of the these two kings

It's a surfing documentary, with a story - but the surfers are cartoon penguins

[dust-7 · 9 June 2007]

Big wave riding in Tahiti - with penguins Imagine someone wanted to make a cartoon version of Riding Giants, the excellent surfing documentary, and wanted to throw in some documentary footage of 'Chopes' in Tahiti from the films, Blackwater and May Dayz, and other surfing documentaries, but said - hey, wait a minute, let's make it about penguins. We'll follow them with a film crew, sit them for interviews, have them talk about surfing. That's the angle. We see much of the film from the unseen documentary photographers. The penguins wax eloquent for their scribes, until at the end our hero finally says - I'm bored with talking about myself - and goes surfing.

So what you have to start out are not Emperor penguins, as seen in the documentary - the hit documentary - March of the Penguins. You see another sort, Imperial penguins I think they are, with yellow fur and hair on their heads. I believe they are seen in the other great avian documentary, Winged Migration (staged though the shots may be with captive birds). So these yellow-topped penguins chase eggs and balance them on their feet, just as in March of the Penguins. The background looks like an animated version of that film. The penguins cluster in similar fashion. And so on.

But they quickly move out of Antarctica. And the twist - it's a surf film. Two of the minor roles are named, and voiced by, two competitive big wave surfers - Kelly Slater and Rob Machado. They play penguins. The protagonist is young penguin whose father is killed, and who looks with amazement at a penguin named, Z, who was a competitive big wave surfing . . penguin . . when he was a youth. I can't help but think that our little hero is somewhat modeled after Laird Hamilton. In short, this is a surf film by those familiar with actual surfing, involving those who actually do surf, and aimed I think at a much more mature audience than five year olds. When I watched, many kids were present. And they seemed bored, except at the big stunts and sound effects, only occasionally used in the film, and for the dramatic climax. Maybe I read them wrong, I don't know.

So a real surf film, by surfers, probably for surfers, but featuring penguins. I don't know. But it sort of works. The effects mimic what you'd see in real surf documentaries. The waves look the same, break the same, and so on. The penguins ride in the same 'slots', and the underwater shots are what you'd see in the documentaries, except that these are humanized penguins, and it's animated. The detail in this animation, in mimicing the real look of a surfbreak, is really something. You even get to ride inside 'the pipe' with our heroes, at certain points. I can see the video game out there even before the film. That's what I was thinking when I saw that.

The voice actors are fine. There are some pauses that might have been best trimmed. The film could be a little punchier. It is also a bit clichéd. The main story is that our hero is the belittled lone surfer in his Antarctica group. A promoter comes by to watch him, and he grabs ahold of the 'boat' and is off to the contest. They don't spend much time in the land of March of the Penguins. Instead, they head to a south Pacific island, with a wave that looks suspiciously like that at Tay-a-who-poe, or 'chopes'. So, there they are in 'Tahiti', debating whether it's the contest that matters, or just surfing that's important. He finds a love interest in a tall 'lifeguard' penguin (Laird Hamilton's wife is quite tall, a beach volleyball player) - no surf patrol here, that's her job. She introduces him to an aged 'Geek', who turns out to be the long-lost 'Z', his boyhood hero; but who ran away by ducking into a wave and disappearing because he was bested by the villain, a big penguin named, Tank, and champion surfer. Tank is also to compete in our hero's contest. He also befriends a - chicken. A chicken. The chicken is a surfer from the upper midwest USA. And he's on 'the circuit'. He's sort of the absent minded, inattentive surfer dude. All those clichés are placed pretty much just on his character and none of the others.

The hero's last name is Maverick. This south island wave they ride, while looking like 'chopes', breaks into a 'boneyard' of sharp rocks. Mavericks, in Half Moon Bay, CA, breaks right up to a reef of sharp protruding rocks, coming out of something called The Boneyard. The heroic 'Z' saves our hero, clutching him from the water, as a gigantic open ocean type of wave breaks way over on the boneyard, the massive lip, with full sound effect, coming right down on our heroes from 70 feet up or whatever it looks like. You couldn't hear a sound in the theater when the film suddenly went quiet. The promoter is quick to eulogize on the beach, and prepares to auction off the fallen surfer's boards. But it's a cartoon. So they survive, and come walking up the beach. 'Z' is recognized. Everyone is happy. And heck with the contest they say, there's surf over in the north lagoon - everybody, let's go - with the promoter screaming at them from behind.

This is a film that might not actually appeal to little kids. And there are some unsettling moments. Wiping out, etc. But for kids who are no longer toddlers and up, and even for adults, I think the film will be appealing. As I said, an animated film about competitive surfers, who are penguins, apparently by surfers, voices by some surfers, and probably aimed at surfers. I liked it.