Written by: Téa Summers, Staff Writer
RADICAL: Watch as penguins face their own personal conundrums as well as 60-foot tall waves.
Succeeding the release of Luc Jaquet’s popular documentary “March of The Penguins,” Hollywood was quick to release an assortment of animated penguin movies, in which these penguins partake in a variety of extremely specific human tasks and hobbies. Among these movies is the 2007 sports comedy and mock-umentary “Surfs Up.”
In the style of a documentary, a camera and film crew follows teen rockhopper penguin Cody Maverick (voiced by Shia LaBeouf) who lives in the dreary town of Shiverpool, Antarctica. After a visit from professional surfer Big Z (Jeff Bridges) to Shiverpool, Cody becomes infatuated by the art of surfing and begins idolizing Big Z. Inspired to become the next greatest surfer, young Cody takes up the hobby of riding the frozen waves of Antarctica. As the only surfer in Liverpool, this young penguin has big dreams that cannot be fulfilled living in this town. He travels near and far until he finally reaches the shores of Pen Gu Island, and it is during his journey that he meets Chicken Joe (engagingly voiced by Jon Heder- who better to play the role of a stoner chicken?), who quickly becomes Cody’s best friend. Surrounded by amateur and professional surfers, Cody decides that here on this island is where he belongs.
Upon entering his first professional surfing competition, Cody realizes he is no longer in Shiverpool and he has a lot to learn about surfing. His learning process is aided by nonchalant lifeguard Lani (Zooey Deschanel) and her uncle Zeke (Jeff Bridges). Zeke promises to help Cody make a board, but whilst looking for a perfect tree trunk to craft it out of, they stumble across an abandoned surf shack on an isolated beach. Putting two and two together, Cody eventually fathoms that Lani’s grumpy old uncle Zeke is actually the famous Big Z in hiding. Cody pleads with Z to train him in surfing, and with unrelented begging, Z finally gives in. After days of training and practically living in the water, Z decides that Cody is finally ready to take on the competition.
Making it to the finals, Cody is matched up against his pal Chicken Joe and 13 time champion Tank Evans (Diedrich Bader). Encapsulating the “winning isn’t everything” message, Cody is bested by Tank as they battle and weaponize their skills in the ocean. In the end, Cody realizes it’s not the victory that’s important, but the friends he made and things he learned along the way that were really what mattered.
Directed by Ash Brannon and Chris Buck, “Surfs Up” is a PG rated adventurous film with a friendly vibe and lowkey humor that makes it the perfect comfort film. Wonderful animation that brings to life the barrel of a wave, a splendid soundtrack that paints the colors of a beach day, and hilarious references to real life professional surfers are just three key components that make this movie a genuine five stars.