The Surfer

The Surfer

By

  • Genre: Thriller, Drama
  • Release Date: 2025-04-03
  • Runtime: 100 minutes
  • : 6.3
  • Production Company: ScreenWest
  • Production Country: Australia, Ireland, United Kingdom, United States of America
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6.3/10
6.3
From 21 Ratings

Description

A man returns to the idyllic beach of his childhood to surf with his son. When he is humiliated by a group of locals, the man is drawn into a conflict that keeps rising and pushes him to his breaking point.

Trailer

Reviews

  • r96sk

    9
    By r96sk
    'The Surfer' has really just one thing to say about it: if ever a movie was made for Nicolas Cage! I got great entertainment from this one, the main man himself is terrific all the way through but, in fairness, is joined by a very ably performing supporting cast. I can sometimes get more annoyed than anything else when films use yobs as antagonists, but this flick shows the way to utilise those sorta characters because here they are the (relatively) believable but also clearly just there to mess with the protagonist; their actors do good. Cage is obviously the star, but I did enjoy watching Nic Cassim (the best away from the lead) and Julian McMahon. As expected given its a psychological thriller, the plot does indeed go heavy in both of those things. It does meander a bit much in the middle, but it's ultimately worth it. The score is excellent, that and most other elements to this make it clear that a lot of thought and attention to detail has gone into making this. It's a nice looking film, for sure. That means little if the story isn't engaging though, which thankfully it most definitely is here.

  • CinemaSerf

    6
    By CinemaSerf
    Hmmm! I’m not sure why this is called “The Surfer” as there is precious little actual surfing, swimming - even paddling, in this rather far-fetched psychological thriller. It’s all about Nicolas Cage whose un-named character arrives at an idyllic Australian cove with his son (Finn Little) so he can show him something special. Thing is, all rubbered-up and en route to the beach, they are stopped by some local thugs who claim the surfing is only for the locals. They ain’t, so they have to get lost. The youngster has to get home and back to school, but dad has no intention of being brow-beaten by “Scally” (Julian McMahon) and his gang of hoodlums - you see, he grew up here and it’s all a matter of pride. What now ensues, though, is more a matter of the ridiculous as the story lurches along making less and less sense as it tries to blur realities and characterisations before a conclusion that, for me anyway, just didn’t make much sense. It’s sort of cultish, I suppose, and to be fair Cage does well as his character enters what can only be described as a maelstrom of confusing scenarios that gradually drive him ever closer to desperate action. There are plot holes galore here and the first hour of the story is so dragged out that by the time we do head towards the plunge moment, I’d completely lost interest. It might have a double-meaning for those of us who are finding ourselves priced or just plain bullied out of our childhood communities, but sadly that message doesn’t sell the silliness of this vehicle for a star who needed a stronger, more tangible, foil for his surf-free surfer. Sorry, this just sank for me.

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