Released in 2002, John Stockwell's Blue Crush dove into the world of professional surfing in Oahu, Hawaii, following three friends, Anne Marie, Eden, and Lena, who worked at a hotel resort and chased waves in their free time. Based on Susan Orlean's "Life's Swell," the film attempted to capture the thrill of the sport and the lives of those dedicated to it. The film stars Kate Bosworth, Michelle Rodriguez and Sanoe Lake, respectively.
The plot was genuinely
engaging, offering an interesting narrative that kept me engaged throughout.
However, the acting was often painful to watch. I feel like this is a common risk when
filmmakers cast athletes to act, and unfortunately, it showed here. While Kate
Bosworth's Anne Marie saw decent character development, the rest of the cast's
characters felt underdeveloped, leaving me wanting more depth from their
stories.
Visually, the film
aged in some areas. The CGI, likely impressive for 2002, appeared somewhat
dated on high-resolution televisions, revealing where improvements could be
made. Another visual drawback was the cinematography choices. The film
repeatedly cut to the same scene, as an attempt to emphasize a character's
recurring thoughts. While the intent was clear, it became quite annoying and
repetitive as there could have been more creative ways to convey internal
struggles.
Despite being over two
decades old, Blue Crush held up
surprisingly well from a theme and messaging perspective. The film also featured a decent amount
of diversity. However, one notable misstep was the portrayal of native
Hawaiians as problematic or antagonistic figures, which was a disappointing and
unnecessary creative choice.
Ultimately, Blue Crush offered a unique story with a
strong central performance from Kate Bosworth. While it stumbled with some of
its acting, aging CGI, and repetitive visual motifs, it still provided a fun,
if flawed, look into the world of surfing, maintaining its cult classic
relevance.