Viewed once in theaters in April 2011
Bethany Hamilton is one in a million. In 2004, the 14-year-old was on the top of her game, poised to be one of the best professional surfers in the world. In a few seconds, her entire world changed. While she was out surfing some early-morning waves with some friends, a large tiger shark took a bite out of her surfboard and took her entire left arm, all the way up to the shoulder. Bethany miraculously survived the life-threatening injury and made a difficult decision to return to professional surfing. Her incredible journey was taken on with the support of her church, her youth minister, and her family; even today, Bethany openly credits the Lord with her recovery and her fame. As she says (in the best line of the movie), "I'm finding out that I can embrace way more people with one arm than I ever could have with two."
As a Christian moviegoer, I'm usually very skeptical of films that are made with Christian values and produced by a mostly-secular film company. In general, most of these films are either tainted with some crazy theology or the true message is watered-down and non-effective. Soul Surfer soars far above both of these problems, bringing a moving story to the screen with strong and unmistakable Protestant Christian protagonists, openly stating their faith and the reasons for their actions. Jesus Christ is honored above all else, and the rock-solid faith of Bethany is portrayed wonderfully by the fantastic actress Anna Sophia Robb. With an all-star cast including Kevin Sorbo (the Hercules TV series), Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt, Jeremy Sumpter, Carrie Underwood and others, the production value of this film is sky-high. Beautiful landscapes of Hawaii completes the picturesque quality of the movie. The acting is fantastic; the writing of Soul Surfer is engaging and touching; church is touted as a part of the Hamiltons' lives; and summer missions trips are given a huge huzzah. All in all, the rocky journey of this movie has produced a beautiful and heart-wrenching story of an incredibly strong young woman who rose above her circumstances, trusted God, and found her life's purpose. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Soul Surfer shows us what Bethany's life mission is. The real-life Mr. Hamilton said to FoxNews, "What really counts is what ends up on the screen. And we are absolutely thrilled with the way the film turned out, and the wonderful way it portrays Bethany's and our family's story and faith."
NEGATIVES:
>>Profanity: "Oh my Gosh" and "Darnit" are the worst offenders.
>>Violence: The tension building to the shark attack is almost sickening. Even when we know it's coming, it surprises us. Real-life Bethany's account of the attack was that it happened so quickly that nobody really knew what was going on. The chaos of the aftermath and the breathless rush to the hospital are heart-pounding, but we never see much more than a large cloud of blood in the seawater. Some of the surfing sequences are violent, but only because of the rough nature of surfing itself. Surfers collide with each other while they jockey for the best waves; they also struggle in the pounding surf to surface. The 2004 tsunami in Asia is shown, as well as a sequence showing the devastation of the tsunami. Trying to elude nosy reporters, Mr. Hamilton drives the family minivan through the front yard of their home to get Bethany safely to the house.
>>Spiritual Content: For the first time in a long time, I can honestly say that this film honors the Christian faith in an honest and true way. Bethany's youth minister (played by America's sweetheart, Carrie Underwood) encourages the grieving girl with Bible verses and solid Biblical counsel. Bethany's family is deeply involved in church, and worship songs are unabashedly sung. Many times, Bethany questions God's plan and His purpose, but she never blames Him for what happened to her. Bethany uses her newfound fame as a platform to reach millions of people with the hope that she has in Christ. The gist of Bethany's story is that we may not always know what God's doing, but we can know that He is loving and He is good. The real-life Hamiltons and Ms. Underwood pushed hard for the "true story" to be told, which included unashamed and bold declarations of faith in Jesus Christ. Overall, the messages of Christianity are proclaimed in an effective and powerful way.
>>Alcohol and Drugs: None besides hospital medications.
>>Sexual Content: Many Christian filmgoers find fault with the "excessive use" of bikini-clad girls and shirtless surfer dudes. I personally didn't even notice it after a while. To Hawaiians, bikinis and shirtless guys are just a part of life. It's not used in a sexy or provocative manner, merely as their usual wardrobe. There are a few things said about "eyepatch bikinis" and how one female surfer might be "very sorry" if she wipes out while wearing it. Bethany herself says that, "Good-looking surfer guys aren't looking at the girls. They're looking at the waves." That might be true for native Hawaiians, but for us landlubbers it's a little more difficult to look past the scanty swimwear. Teenagers flirt harmlessly.
Overall, I absolutely love this film. Picturesque, honest, and worthy of the cause that it touts, Soul Surfer is a heartwarming account of a truly incredible and strong young woman who even today defies odds and draws strength from a higher power. I recommend this film--but be sure to bring Kleenex. My mom sniffled the entire time.
6 out of 6 stars
So that everyone (including myself) may benefit from it, please feel free to leave your own personal opinion of this film.
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