Do you want to see penguins surfing 50-foot tall Pen Gu Island waves? Then this is the movie for you. Photo from rotoscopers.com.
If you have not seen the 2007 computer-animated mockumentary comedy film “Surf’s Up,” you absolutely need to; and if you haven’t watched it recently, I would highly recommend a rewatch.
This film stands the test of time as a childhood movie I had since forgotten until I saw Chicken Joe, voiced by Jon Heder, on my Twitter timeline, and was reminded of this masterpiece. “Surf’s Up” is not only a good animated children’s movie, but also a downright need-to-watch film up there on my list of favorites.
Shia LeBeouf voices the lead “edgy” penguin surfer Cody Maverick from the Arctic, who is itching to get to Pen Gu Island to fulfill his dream of surfing big waves in the Big Z Memorial Surf Off. He eventually learns that surfing isn’t just about winning or competition but about having fun and enjoying life.
This 2008 Academy Award nominee for Best Animated Feature Film admirably lost to Pixar’s “Ratatouille,” but don’t be fooled as the cinematography and animation in this movie is fantastic. The wave animation in this movie was an impressive feat from 2007 Sony Pictures Animation.
The stylistic choices when through the camerawork is something seldom seen done well in animated or live action films. We follow our characters around in a mockumentary-style film with the filmmakers speaking with the characters at points to make it feel more interactive. The submersion of this film into the mockumentary form was a creative liberty taken by directors Ash Brannon and Chris Buck that I shall be eternally grateful for.
While this story starts out following Maverick as our main character, the story really is about Big Z, voiced by Jeff Bridges, returning to the world of surfing. Big Z, who was previously thought to be dead after faking his own death to avoid humiliation and loss in a surfing contest, is inspired to return to surfing after Cody comes to him for medical attention for stepping on a sea urchin.
Many funny moments live in this movie to make it entertaining, such as the filmmakers interviewing the sea urchin that Cody stepped on who, newsflash, wasn’t very happy to have been stepped on. Chicken Joe is also a great comic relief character in this film. The carefree surfing chicken from Lake Michigan (yes, you heard that right) serves as Cody’s best friend who goes looking for him after his disappearance. He befriends a group of native island penguins who try to cook him by offering him a skewered fish food that is implied to taste like chicken (which Chicken Joe snacks on the whole film, but that’s neither here nor there).
Zooey Deschanel plays Cody’s love interest Lani Aliikai in “Surf’s Up” and is a lifeguard penguin whom a child penguin has a crush on. This leads the young penguin to stage a couple of drownings so that Lani will save him, which takes place in the back of Lani’s interviews and makes for a couple laughs.
All in all, this film is a must-watch if you have yet to see or a rewatch if you’re looking for an S-tier film to watch this weekend.