SOUL SURFER (PG) Review

Soul Surfer is a heartfelt beach movie based on the real life events of teenager Bethany Hamilton. Bethany (played by Annasophia Robb) is a thirteen year old girl who loves anything to do with the beach. She dreams of becoming a professional surfer and gets up every morning at the crack of dawn to practise her skills. In the year 2003, Bethany's aspirations are brought to a sudden halt after a fateful encounter with a shark which causes her to lose her left arm.

Going into the movie knowing the story of Bethany Hamilton meant that it was quite a nerve racking experience. Everytime Bethany was in the water, I was waiting for her to get attacked by a shark. The shark attack scene itself was also a bit alarming. I was quite surprised at the way they pulled it off. I was not expecting the director to show it the way he did.

I would highly recommend Soul Surfer for anyone big into surfing and the beach. I would also suggest it to anyone who has found it difficult to find their way of life. It is a nice movie to watch as a family although I wouldn't recommend it for anyone under the age of 13, only because the shark attack scene could be quite confronting for anyone under this age.

It is a Christian movie but I would still recommend it for someone who does not have Christian beliefs. The Christian messages aren't too obvious but you will take away something extra if you have these beliefs. I think the ideal situation to watch this movie is for a youth group event.

Soul Surfer is an inspiring true story that teaches many lessons about passion, family and faith and can be best enjoyed by beach-going teenagers.

Director: Sean McNamara

Starring: Annasophia Robb, Helen Hunt, Lorraine Nicholson, Carrie Underwood, Dennis Quaid

Year released: 2011

My rating: 6.5/10

Review by Tristan Carr

Last edited: 21/02/21