Blue Crush

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.