Over the last few months I've started an unhealthy interest in surfing films. From the great (Big Wednesday) to the average (Point Break) to the mediocre (Blue Crush) they've all appealed to me in some way or another. The camerawork on the actual surfing is what intrigues me the most, and although there is more to these films than simply that, that's the main point of interest for me.
Chasing Mavericks was a movie I bought on blu ray a few weeks ago which then inevitably turned up on Sky Movies this week. The reviews haven't been great lets face it, but this still had something that drew me in. I had no idea what a Maverick was(in terms of…

Ever since Kathryn Bigelow's Point Break, I've wanted to surf. I've had a fascination with the beauty, the elegance, the freedom, and the sheer lunacy that attracts people to risk life and limb for that ultimate rush. The closest I get however is the movies.
This story about surfer Jay Moriarity does have a slightly clunky script. Gerard Butler plays Frosty, an experienced surfer who teaches a young 15 year old how to surf the monster "Mavericks" waves that wash ashore at Half Moon Bay in California. Learning the foundation pillars of surfing and also shedding his inner demons, Jay seeks to conquer waves most would shit their pants at. There's a romantic sub-plot and a decent father figure/mentor appeal…

Warning: The 3rd paragraph from the end has a big plot spoiler. Skip that paragraph if you're desperate to see this film unspoiled.

Brad Paisley once joked that he only writes song lyrics to give himself an excuse to get to the guitar solos. That's what I think has happened here. Director Curtis Hanson can't wait to give us breathtaking ocean views and superb surfing action. And make no mistake, they are definitely spectacular. It's a gorgeous film.

Unfortunately, unless you're making a documentary, you've got to fill your movie with some characters. Preferably, they need to be characters about whom the audience gives a damn. Believable and empathetic characters require solid acting and realistic dialogue. We have got to…

2012 Ranked
Non-2018 First Time Watches Ranked
Directors Ranked: Curtis Hanson

"As for the rest, all I will say is... the ones who push the limits, discover the limits sometimes push back."

Not a bad film, but not spectacular. It's just fine. There are some cool shots with the surfing and skating scenes though. Probably one of Gerard Butler's best performances. It's good to see him not phoning it in on shitty action films for once.

The thing that attracted me to this is I have this fascination with surfers, skaters and snowboarders. Like, I'm way too big and old to try that shit but it just fascinates me. Like, these guys are just wired differently. There isn't a bone…

Chasing Mavericks, a biopic of surfing icon Jay Moriarty co-directed by Curtis Hanson and Michael Apted, plays a bit too much like "The Karate Kid Goes Surfing" to be wholly successful for me. Nevertheless, it is a competently-made, well-paced, and entertaining film about an extreme sports legend and the mentor who inspired him.

The film follows the adolescent life of Jay Moriarty (Jonny Weston), an aspiring surfer with a ton of talent and potential. As Jay hones his craft on the surfboard and navigates the world of teenage drama, he turns to friend-mentor Frosty Hesson (Gerard Butler) for guidance and training in his quest to surf "Mavericks": a gigantic California swell of legendary esteem. WIth Frosty as Jay's Miyagi-esque guide,…

¨There are all kinds of sons. Some are born to you, some just occur to you.¨

Chasing Mavericks is based on the life of Jay Moriarity, a young surfer who at the age of 15 managed to surf one of the biggest waves in California during the tropical storm El Niño. Unfortunately the film is full of clichés and one dimensional characters. I don´t have any complaints with the scenes that take place in the Ocean, the big waves and surfing scenes are fun to look at. I didn’t find it hard to believe that this kid could surf such big waves, what I found hard to believe is that this kid would act and speak the way he did…

A familiar, but likable, biopic.

Jay Moriarity (Jonny Weston) has always dreamed of surfing the biggest waves. With the help of his surfer neighbor, Frosty Hesson (Gerald Butler), he trains for the biggest waves (called Mavericks), which will hit in three months time.

With a really good performance from Butler and some awe-inspiring surf sequences, Chasing Mavericks rises above the familiarity of other biopics. There’s a real lack of films that deal with the subject of surfing, so that already makes this movie a rare find. It does take a while to find its groove, but the last half is when the movie really comes together. It’s here that we get the big third act set piece as Jay attempts…