Review of Soul Surfer, directed by Sean McNamara

I do not know why, but as of late I’ve been having a little bit of a Renaissance when it comes to books and movies from when I was younger. Maybe it’s because Netflix has been cranking out these nostalgic hits within their lineup. I’m living for it as of late—I guess that’s why I haven’t stopped my subscription yet.

Anyways, I saw Soul Surfer was on there and had an extended flashback to when I saw this movie. I think I was eleven when this came out, and my sister and I ended up watching it whenever it came onto television. Those were the good old days for us, that’s for sure.

For a healthy dose of nostalgia, that’s why I ended up watching this again. It’s not the greatest movie in the world, but it hits all the right feelings for me when it comes to reflecting on childhood.

Let’s get into the review!

After surviving a vicious shark attack that takes her arm away, a young girl becomes a champion surfer again.

This story begins in 2003, when Bethany, who is 13, lives with her parents in Hawai’i. Together with her family and her best friend Alana, she often goes surfing, and she’s spent almost her entire life with the sport. At a recent competition, her and Alana place in the top scores, showing they have promising future.

The next competition is coming up, and they decide not to go to Mexico in order to compete in it. On Halloween, Bethany’s dad goes for knee surgery, and Bethany decides to go surfing with Alana’s family. There, when she lays on her board, talking to Alana, her arm is bit off by a tiger shark, leaving her bleeding in the water.

They rush her to land, where they then call 911 and her mother. As her father is taken in for surgery, his doctor is called to do Bethany’s surgery, and he watches as she’s rolled in. She almost dies after this attack due to the sheer amount of blood loss, but she has lost her left arm in the process as well.

No longer able to compete and somewhat of a celebrity, Bethany watches as Alana goes off to compete herself. The shark is captured and killed, and while Bethany learns to relive her life without an arm, she wants to go back to the water. Slowly but surely she tries surfing again, and with the help of Inside Edition, she gets a prosthetic.

However, she realizes it won’t help with surfing, and she decides not to wear it. After working herself back into shape, Bethany joins a competition, but does not perform well because of her disability. She gets into a fight with Alana after this as well, but when Bethany goes on a mission trip to Thailand, she realizes how she can help people.

Her surfboard is adjust for her one arm, and she continues training for the next competition. At the national championship,s she does well, and when she spots a big wave no one else sees, she shoots for the opportunity to get it. She doesn’t win, but the first place winner invites her onto the podium.

Bethany is interviewed after, and she tells them she would still lose her arm, as she could inspire more and embrace people now.

Overall Thoughts

This is such a cute, inspiring story. I often have complicated feelings about biopics, especially ones that try to be too serious, and I think that Soul Surfer does an excellent job of finding its rhythm early on and staying on these thematic notes.

While it’s not golden cinema, something out of an arthouse production, I think it’s still well done with the conventions of the genre. If that makes sense. I don’t know if I would watch it again, but I left it feeling something.

Sometimes movies aren’t good because of their technical element—good is also subjective. Good can mean they touched us in some of the most simplest ways. Go watch it if you haven’t already.

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