User Reviews

I went to support a family-valued film. But, I was touched and moved by the honesty and the reality of the events as they occurred.

Some of the special effects with the surf were awesome, wish there had been more.

Anna Sophia Robb stole every scene she was in. Her performance was understated and real.

Soul Surfer is a tear jerker, with an upbeat message, and ultimately makes you feel triumphant. For the Christians, there is a hymn in an outdoor church and a few references to scripture and God.

Some short documentary clips before the end credits were a highlight. Like Bethany surfing, appearances on Late Night talk, and reporters interviews. Makes me think that a biographical documentary about the real heroine, Bethany Hamilton, would be terrific.

When a film is based upon such a widely known story it's a real challenge for film makers to do justice to both the original story and to an audience who expect to be entertained. I feel they delivered on both counts. So, thank you.

Of course, the core of the story is the terrible shark attack that happened to Bethany Hamilton. That kind of thing is universally thought to be so horrific that merely surviving at all would be a triumph of human will. But Bethany Hamilton transcended that by leaps and bounds to become an international icon for what it means to be courageous in the face of seemingly overwhelming odds. Her courage, strength, perseverance, dedication, work ethic, professionalism and just plain bare faith have become a model for success to a large number of people all over the world. She has justly earned every accolade, every compliment and every success that I feel sure she feels privileged to have received. Oh, and she's gorgeous too.

With that incredible young woman's story as the fodder for the film it was a walk in the park for the film makers. All they had to do was tell the truth and let the facts speak for themselves. But that is something Hollywood has a lot of trouble doing. But this simple formula seems to be what they did, and did masterfully. The setting for the film is one of the most breathtaking on earth, so that was easy to enjoy. The cinematography was excellent as was, of course, the special CGI effects. Makeup and costuming didn't have much of a stretch, letting the beauty of the islands, its people and the athleticism, beauty and youth of the principal actors deliver what artificiality never could.

The cast was well chosen with the petite AnnaSophia Robb as Bethany Hamilton and Lorraine Nicholson as Bethany's lifelong friend Alana Blanchard. Much of the story centered on these two girls so it was a lot for them to carry. I can imagine how it must have been difficult for Robb to try to give credence to a part depicting someone who is so genuinely bigger than life - even legendary. I think she did a terrific job. I was taken in by watching her nuances of emotion throughout the film. She's no rookie but this was a real challenge that she met with talent and grace.

Nicholson was a perfect fit as Hamilton's friend; adding a few smiles to the tension we all certainly felt watching the story unfold. Real friendships should never be underplayed and she came across as a solid, loving friend to Bethany. Then Helen Hunt as Bethany's mother Cheri Hamilton and Dennis Quaid as her father Tom Hamilton both did outstanding work, but that's what I've come to expect from them. I think I'd be genuinely shocked if either of them ever did poorly in any role. They were ably backed by Kevin Sorbo as Alana's father Holt Blanchard and Craig T. Nelson as Dr. Rovinksy, Bethany's attending physician. All of them made the film that much better and I enjoyed every minute each was on screen. Perhaps the most interesting to me is watching Quaid. He's become quite a versatile and talented actor.

Last but not least was Carrie Underwood as Sarah Hill. This is the first time I've seen her do any acting and I can say she did a terrific job. I really liked her playing the part of someone who was so important to Bethany's success and she did so with genuine warmth and friendliness.

I was very well entertained as was everyone who attended the screening with me. I left the theater with the thought that I wish much success to the film - it's a masterful character tale for all young people the world over - and ever increasing success to Bethany Hamilton herself. She deserves no less.

By Bruce L. Jones http://webpages.charter.net/bruce.jones1/

Based on the true story of Bethany Hamilton, a 13 year old competitive surfer with big dreams and a courageous spirit. Coming from a family of surfers, riding the waves is all Bethany can dream about. But her dreams turn into a nightmare after a sudden shark attack takes her left arm and her hopes of ever surfing again.

Soul Surfer is an inspirational film for the entire family about overcoming obstacles and turning tragedy into triumph.

Filmed entirely in Hawaii, it offers some gorgeous cinematography and wonderful surf-action shots and features an all-star cast including Helen Hunt, Denis Quaid, Craig T Nelson and AnnaSophia Robb as Bethany, the teen titan with a heart of gold.

Soul Surfer is a well produced film, that leans heavily on it's soul-lifting story, stellar acting and a rocking soundtrack on a moderate budget. It's encouraging to see such big Hollywood names doing such inspirational family fare without the inflated-sized salary demands.

Helen Hunt and Dennis Quaid actually seem to be enjoying themselves alongside the rising talents of the young cast members, most notably AnnaSophia Robb, best remembered for her role in Bridge to Terabithia, Jumper and Because of Winn Dixie. AnnaSophia delivers a powerful and gripping performance that is sure to win your heart and leave you breathless as she struggles to overcome all odds. Carrie Underwood seems a bit misplaced as the youth pastor who comforts and encourages Bethany, but while her screen time is short, she proves that singing may not be her only talent.

For a film based on a true story, I got caught up in the action and well paced story-telling. I found myself entranced by and caring for each of the characters. When the shark attack scene unfolded, I found myself holding my breath and completely taken in by the film. A rare victory few films can achieve.

I admired the way the film presented Bethany's family and their Christian faith, being faithful to church and being such positive role models. But I was disappointed in the failed opportunity to present more biblical truth to a secular audience. Like many recent films being marketed to a Christian audience, the presented faith in Soul Surfer was played a bit too safe and generic to arouse any converts since it lacked in any gospel message, but if viewed with a Christan who knows how to use the film as a topic starter, it can be a great tool or ice breaker.

Another refreshing bonus was the lack of any profanity or sexuality, making it completely suitable and safe for viewing in a church or youth group setting.

I highly recommend this entertaining and uplifting film for the entire family.

Soul Surfer is a good inspirational true story sports movie with some faith elements (Nothing too serious there, just emphasizing it was important) that hits all the right targets. As with any true story it is slightly linear, but that minor gripe aside, it is moving, and fun, and inspiring and that surely is the point.

At its best in the surf the story of Bethany Hamilton who lost her arm in a shark attack but by sheer determination went on to become a professional surfer is made to inspire and the film doesn't disappoint.

All in all, this is a good family movie with solid acting and some terrific surf scenes that should inspire everyone.

The movie was directed fairly well and all he actors were very good at their roles, however i thought the ending was a twist and wasn't easily expected because of how the movie was going. Most of the movie was predictable but it's the kind of predictable that you want to keep watching because of how the movie flows and brings you into it. I think this movie is great for emotional people. like i said it brings you into the story and the ending credits are pretty cool also. I heard a few people cry at parts of this movies and many people clapped.

I think most people will enjoy watching it but only emotional people could really connect to it.

-kykyred

This movie was so inspiring and it is such a good story.

Soul Surfer isn't a great movie, but it does have a lot of heart. Plus, it's hard to dislike a movie that stars AnnaSophia Robb -- she's delightful. Carrie Underwood, on the other hand, is a better singer than she is an actress. This is an inspiring story, and it's kind of refreshing to see a Hollywood film that is so unabashedly faith-affirming.

I'm not often compelled to write movie reviews online, but after seeing some of the bad reviews this film got, I decided I would. This film is well worth your time and money. Granted, some of the scenes may feel cheap and I think my brother could create a better CGI shark. That's not the point. AnnaSophia Robb does a spectacular job of playing Bethany Hamilton, a 13 year-old girl determined to continue doing what she loves after losing an arm to a shark. Helen Hunt and Dennis Quaid do an excellent job of portraying her supporting parents. The raw display of emotion from herself and the rest of the cast is mesmerizing. The character chemistry and development could not work better here. The film includes great cinematography and well-done surf scenes which add to the overall effect. If this movie does not inspire you, I don't know what will. The target audience is teenage girls, but the whole family can enjoy Soul Surfer. You will leave the theater feeling uplifted after viewing this great film. SEE THIS MOVIE! You will not be disappointed.

I was able to attend a sneak preview of this film last night. I took my 7 year-old daughter. She enjoyed the movie tremendously. I think it inspired her without scaring her too much.

I enjoyed the incredible true story and the family interactions. There were a couple of times when it really hit me to think about what I would do if this happened in my family. The shark bite scene wasn't all that gory. It certainly could have been more graphic but I was thankful they didn't take it to that level.

As an astute adult, I did find some of the special effects lacked the look of a bigger budget movie. In several surf scenes it was obvious that they superimposed the actor's faces over someone else doing the surfing. The close-up shots done while surfing were obviously done in a studio. They did do a much better job of "erasing" the missing arm on AnnaSophia Robb. There were only a couple of times when you noticed some irregularities.

I didn't really care for religious aspects of the movie. To me, it seemed as if they cut some religious scenes while keeping in some of the more subtle religious parts (reading the Bible, quoting scripture, etc.). Bethany does take a religious mission but even the religious nature of the trip takes a back seat to the lessons learned. They either needed to make the family's faith a bigger part of the movie or remove it altogether. It just seem disjointed, almost as if they originally planned on a more focused religious audience only to cut parts out to appeal to a broader audience (i.e., non-believers).

Overall, I would recommend this movie to adults and kids. Kids younger than 6 might get a scare from a couple of scenes. The inspirational parts outweighed the relatively low-budget CGI scenes.

Right from the get go I fund it incredibly hard to swallow how perfect Bethany and her family are portrayed . There was Zero realism in the film which I found to be a sickly sweet exercise with nothing new to offer at all . I thought or hoped that they might have been original in the telling but this was nothing more than a Glossy version of a made for TV weepy .

On the plus side The cinematography was great and the action shot enjoyable and well choreographed .

If you love surfing then you'll probably enjoy this for the most part and for a Christian film or at least one with a strong Christian message this is definitely one of the better ones . But this is no '127 hours ' which is a shame given the source

Bethanys true story is an horrific and inspiring one , this was super sickly sweet, patronising, over acted poorly scripted nonsense from start to finish . wait for it to come out on DVD ...

Soul Surfer is in the top 10 of my favorite faith-based movies. It really is a tremendous uplifting film that leaves you in tears from the very beginning to the very end. And it's all attributed to God. Kudos to Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt for being in the film and giving terrific performances! I give Soul Surfer a 10 out of 10

My top 10 faith-based movies of all time are: 1) Ben-Hur; 2) The Genius Club; 3) Soul Surfer; 4) Facing the Giants; 5) Chariots of Fire; 6) End of the Spear; 7) The Climb; 8) Gospel of John; 9) Time Changer; 10) Book of Matthew

You're missing out if you haven't seen these films!

8.

That's the number (low-ball) of the religious 'reviewers' listed - JUST here, on IMDb who've reviewed this film.

This film is a VERY obvious ode to Christianity.

Period.

Other reviewers pandered about saying that, explicitly, but, that IS what this purported 'mainstream' film is.

I don't care WHAT your belief is, but, trying to put across a film, such as this - which is geared to bringing in (unsuspecting) families, is WRONG.

IF it was marketed as what it IS - fine. But, that's NOT the case here.

I find TRICKING - ANYONE - ESPECIALLY youngsters - what IS religious proselytizing dishonest.

A well made film. Bethany Hamilton had a sucky situation with that shark. Good movie.

Undoubtedly one of the best surfing movies made with credible acting by Anna Sophia Robb, Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt.

This film touched my heart in a way few ever have it was well done in every aspect. The acting was excellent, everyone in this very strong cast turned in excellent performances's but Annasophia Robb was a stand out, absolutely genuine in her performance, your heart breaks for her and soars with her. The cinematography was beautiful and the under water shots were very creative. The special effects are convincing. But the true star of this film is the story itself. It tells the remarkable story of Bethany Hamilton which can not help but challenge and inspire the viewer. I can not recommend it highly enough. Don't miss this one! It is family safe we went with 7 people ages 12 to 70 and everyone loved it. It inspired us all!

Decided to finally review this keeper DVD. Had not watched it in a long time and now seeing it again, I'm glad I kept it.

Not one to reiterate the synopsis - I will just tell you what I liked, and what I questioned, and try to clarify some things low reviewers pointedly hated.

I like the cast & the production. The movie moves along steadily and is well put together.

I do kind of wondered why there were not more indigenous people, but there were a few and they were def not shown as 'bad'. There was the boy who invited the girls to night surf and had the fireworks, and one of the event announcers, and several others in the background. But here we had a true story focusing on this girl, her family, and her church group, and within that framework were people prominent to the specific story - so I don't think people should scream racism or exclusion. This movie has zero to do with race. If it means that bloody much to ya, go find an inspirational story that surrounds your favourite race.

Meanwhile, regarding the criteria I just outlined was the fact that church & faith were an integral part of this girls life. Since it is HER bio-drama, Christianity is going to be included in this movie. If you don't like Christians, or Christian inspired movies, why would you bother watching this? Just so you can review it negatively? If it means that bloody much to ya, go find an inspirational story that surrounds non-Christian people.

I found the fact that the real life Bethany & her family had direct input into this movie, as well as some brief cameo roles, and as has been proven before with other bio-dramas, when the family is involved it always makes a better, more true story.

I like to read trivia on movies and some of the trivia for Soul Surfer was interesting - such as the shark attack. Many reviewers complained it was not dramatic enough, glossed over too quickly, not gory enough, etc etc. But it was portrayed exactly as it occurred; quickly and without warning, and furthermore Bethany herself said everyone indeed remained calm & acted quickly.

What I did question was the other surfers hanging on to their boards while getting her out of the water - yet would naturally, most certainly bust out a locked truck window to get to the phone to call 911.

I mean . . . Let the surf boards GO. . . . I dunno. Is that a surfer culture thing? Like, you don't let go of your board under ANY circumstances? . . . o... 'k.

As for reviewers who thought Bethany's mission trip was a cheezy insert of measly benevolence or to seem 'like an angel' . . .

I guess some don't understand just how impactful a trip like that can be to a young person. In fact, it's probably something everyone should experience first hand if it would affect one's thankfulness in a positive way, and desire to be more helpful & kind in general.

That impact on Bethany is the vein the movie focused on to help illustrate her gratefulness to have survived. If it means so bloody much to you, may I ask, where have you travelled to help others? What are you doing to help people in third world countries? At your age?

Anyway - I could go on - but if you like Christian-based inspirational movies you will enjoy this. The fact that it's a true story and the production included key input by Bethany & her family is icing on the cake.

Also, the DVD has great special features with Bethany herself. What an amazing person she is.

Pretty stringently based on the true story of Bethany Hamilton (played here by a charming up-and-comer AnnaSophia Robb) focuses on an ageless plot of courage and will despite adversities. Raised by loving parents surf aficionado Tom (Dennis Quaid) and wave sliding Cheri (Helen Hunt) Bethany is privy to a happy laid-back childhood, more akin to that of a dolphin, than that of a scrawny land-lover. Cutting the waves is second nature and Bethany claims to be one of the top young surfers on Kauai, Hawaii. Additional purpose and love is found in religion, where Sarah Hill (Carrie Underwood) acts as her mentor and role-model. This world, perfect beyond reality, comes to a close due to a random shark attack, which deprives Bethany of one arm and seemingly ends all hopes to fulfilling her surfer dreams...

Reminiscent of a cheap TV move with soap opera overdose "Soul Surfer" hold true to exaggerated clichés, unable to let go of its comfort area. Clumsily laid out from the word go with Bethany's sugarcoated queasily perfect life, the movie does admittedly seem to start to catch an emotional engagement with the audience after the ordeal. Nonetheless after these brief scenes dominated by Quaid and Hunt (who nonetheless churn out a relatively weak performance) the overall amateurish drive is reinstated. Largely to blame is an atrocious display of wooden lollipop acting by Underwoord, who remains uneasy, distant and without presence throughout her thankfully limited screen time. Her major input does however coincide with a key cheesy sequence in typhoon-stricken Thailand, which smile-inducingly is presented as Bethany's turning point (as in 'Gee... These poor little infantile third-rate people on the other side of the world have it worse than I do... Oh boy! I'd better start surfing again! That will sure as hell help them!').

Reeking with soap with mild dramatic pull "Soul Surfer" somehow manages to subjugate a decent cast and a terrific story into an annoying teen flick, which aggravates a serious viewer to indifference. Any emotional involvement has more to do with the authenticity of the inspiration, than to actual portrayals on-screen.

3 stars for the true-life Bethany. The movie itself deserves a 1.

I have watched a lot of surfing movies over the years but nothing as captivating as Soul Surfer. The acting is terrific but the locales make you want to move to Hawaii. In most sports based movies you expect the star of the film to win. It is sort of a given. However, this movie expertly sets the viewer up for another kind of win. Not just a trophy or a magazine cover but a win that takes the viewer done the road in his or her personal struggles. There is a lot of talk about faith based film but this film isn't really about faith it is about how to get up when you are down and make a difference. I have always been a big fan of Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt especially her performance in Castaway with Tom Hanks but she plays the mom in this film with perfection and although I never though of Dennis as a surfer like Patrick Swayze he does his part as the girls father and couch perfectly. I went to the film expecting something good but I came away from the film having experienced something great.

'Soul Surfer' is a very well made film based on the story of surfer Bethany Hamilton, who was attacked by a shark whilst training for the Hawaiian Island Regionals.

AnnaSophia Robb stars as Bethany Hamilton, and delivers a great performance. The performances from the entire cast is convincing. Dennis Quaid (in great shape and sexy as hell!) stars as her Dad, Tom, and Helen Hunt stars as her Mom, Cheri - both surfers, as well.

Able people so easily take two arms/two hands for granted. This film puts things into perspective, showing us just how difficult the simplest things can be when you only have one arm. The visual effects are really good and it literally looks as if AnnaSophia only has one arm. Hats off to the visual effects team for a job well done!

Amazingly, Bethany remained positive despite her circumstances, and couldn't wait to start surfing again. I would have been scared as hell at the mere thought of going back into the water!! 'Soul Surfer' is an inspirational and uplifting family drama, and also a vessel to promote Christianity, and faith.

Based on the true story of soul surfer Bethany Hamilton, "Soul Surfer" is fairly close to the true story, just exaggerated to make sure we don't miss any subtle points on how perfect everybody is. Wikipedia even defines the term "soul surfer" in case you couldn't catch the meaning that it's about a girl who surfs for the sheer pleasure of surfing. God has put surfing in her soul, if you will.

The event that has defined Bethany's life and the plot of this movie, is that at age 13 she was attacked by a shark and lost her arm. To me, and at least to some of the filmmakers, the important point here (and amazing triumph of courage) is how she maintained her composure and paddled herself back to shore. It's the right thing to do and it's what saved her life even though most people probably wouldn't have been able to remain so calm. The other half of the filmmakers, and likely the real people depicted in the film, believe that it was God and her Christian faith that saved her.

I probably should have read up on what the real Bethany Hamilton is like in real life as it would have saved me from suffering through all the preachiness. They are so sure of how good they are that the film even saw them jet off to Thailand after the devastating tsunami where, with the love of God and faith in surfing, they saved the entire country from ruin. I would love to know what some of the non-religious-based, third world country charitable organizations think of that.

As the old adage says, the best actors are able to make those around them better. That must be true here as young AnnaSophia Robb is best when opposite Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt. The rest of the time she only has to appear beautiful (despite having only one arm) as the character really is just a silver-spoon, privileged mermaid. I, personally, would like to give her more credit, but even the movie tells us, she didn't do anything herself, it was all God's plan.