Surf’s Up

Director: Ash Brannon and Chris Buck

Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Jeff Bridges, Zooey Deschanel, Jon Heder

Our feathered friends from the South Pole are back in yet another film about animated penguins. But before you roll your eyes and find a different film to watch, give Surf’s Up a few moments of your time. The story is based on the revelation that surfing was actually invented by penguins, and follows young Cody Maverick as he tries to make a name for himself at the most competitive and dangerous display of surfing around: the Penguin World Surfing Championship. Of course, a love interest and a remarkable group of friends soon appear adding even more pressure to young Cody to prove himself.

The talented voice cast shines with Shia LaBeouf stealing the limelight as Cody. Jeff Bridges was a great choice for Cody’s idol, Big Z, with his laid back and charming voice. Supporting characters are also a delight, with Zooey Deschanel portraying a Baywatch lifeguard babe, and Jon Heder playing the role of Cody’s new best friend, a laid back surfing chicken who often manages to end up in the wrong place at the wrong time. And anyone who has seen the trailers will already have fallen in love with the younger penguins and their adorable voices.

The fact that the story is filmed in the style of a documentary adds another interesting level to the film, and allows for some hilarious interview scenes. The tongue-in-cheek mockumentary structure also gives the film the necessary depth to appeal to older audiences. The humour caters for all age groups with witty one-liners and more obvious slapstick moments. The music moves the film along nicely too and is not overly cheesy.

The flashy animation is visually stunning and reveals how much technology has progressed over the last few years. In particular, the sandy beaches and roaring seas look amazingly photo realistic. The animators have also gone to great lengths to come up with a new and interesting way of portraying penguins (look out for the funky tattoo patterns that some of the surfers are sporting).

Surf’s Up proves to be a surprisingly refreshing story set on bright sunny beaches with a seriously laid back attitude. Those in search of a fun loving comedy that doesn’t take life too seriously should definitely take time out of their day to check out this film.

Julia Huntenburg