Product Description

Jeff Bridges, Shia LaBeouf, Jon HederDirectors: Chris Buck, Ash Brannon

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5994 in DVD
• Brand: Blu-ray Animation
• Released on: 2007-12-10
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Format: PAL
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .26 pounds
• Running time: 82 minutes

Amazon.co.uk

Surf's Up is a computer-animated sports mockumentary about penguin surfing contests, which makes it stand out from the crowd of penguin movies. The story unfolds as it would on any sports-channel on TV, with interviews (with penguins) overlapping footage of (penguin) surfing action, gradually unveiling the tale of Cody Maverick (voiced by Shia LaBeouf, Transformers), a young penguin from Antarctica with dreams of winning a surfing competition--a competition named after his idol, the missing Big Z (Jeff Bridges, The Big Lebowski).

But when he joins the competition, Cody finds his zeal for winning may not be enough to defeat the cruel reigning champ, Tank Evans (Diedrich Bader, Grim & Evil). The story of Surf's Up is typical stuff: Youngster learns to value friendship over material success. But the documentary style gives the film a different rhythm from the usual feature-length cartoon; it stutters and skips around, dithers on side topics, and backtracks to catch up with supporting characters. Some viewers may be annoyed, but others--perhaps the more media-savvy--will find it a refreshing change of pace. (Kids who don't watch much sports, however, may just find it confusing.) Surf's Up also features the voices of James Woods (Hercules), Zooey Deschanel (Elf), and Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite). --Bret Fetzer

DVD Description
A behind-the-scenes look at the annual Penguin World Surfing Championship and its newest participant, up-and-comer Cody Maverick (Shia LaBeouf). A stylistically daring CGI feature, Surf's Up is based on the groundbreaking revelation that surfing was actually invented by penguins. In the film, a documentary crew takes audiences behind the scenes and onto the waves during the most competitive, heartbreaking and dangerous display of surfing known to man, the Penguin World Surfing Championship.

Synopsis
This animated mock documentary directed by Chris Buck (TARZAN) and Ash Brannon (TOY STORY 2) follows penguin Cody Maverick (Shia LaBeouf) from his hometown of Shiverpool, Antarctica, where all of the other penguins think he's a surfing fool, to the 'Big Z Memorial Surf Off' on Pen Gu Island. This teenage penguin is determined to win the most important competition in the world of penguin surfing in honour of 'Big Z', a deceased surfing legend whom he has idolised since childhood. But the waves in Pen Gu are different than in Shiverpool, and the competition is steep. The current champ, egotistical Tank Evans (Diedrich Bader), isn't about to let this little penguin knock him from first place without a fight. When Cody wipes out and encounters Geek (Jeff Daniels), a recluse living in the jungle, he learns some important lessons about life and surfing, and even teaches Geek a thing or two. The documentary/reality show format is a delightful surprise, and side interviews with other characters make it particularly effective. The attention to detail in this feature is terrific. The foam, waves, sand, expressions, and movements are all quite realistic, and the voices are spot on. Shia LaBeouf hits the mark perfectly as Cody, and Jeff Daniels is fun as the aging former surfer, Geek, who imparts his wisdom to the newbie. Mario Cantone voices the perpetually exasperated talent scout, Mikey, who works for sports promoter Reggie (James Woods). Jon Heder and Zooey Deschanel also lend their talents as midwestern surfer dude Chicken Joe and the lovely lifeguard Lani, respectively. Sports Penguin Entertainment Network (SPEN) correspondents Kelly Slater and Rob Machado are voiced by their real-life surfing-legend counterparts. A soundtrack including a number of past pop hits is also a nice touch.

Customer Reviews

Good Film but buy on normal DVD
This is a really enjoyable film and my favourite of 2007.I would normally give it 4 or even 5 stars,but this review is for the blu ray version.

The thing is ,the film is done in a loose documentary style and the camera work reflects this by having a grainy image.It is still a bright and colourful film but the purposely downgraded image quality means that you may as well buy it on normal DVD as it doesn't really show off the potential of Blu ray.For that I reccommend Open Season which is made by the same company and looks absolutley stunning.

Good not great
I went to see this with my son at the pictures and didn't enjoy it much but he did which is the important thing.

The story line has all been done before and much better in my opinion in other children's films: Our main character meets legend in the field that he hopes to achieve greatness in himself and has to coax said legend out of retirement in order to learn the trade and valuable life lessons.

On the other hand there are some real belly-chuckle scenes and the real winning character for me was the chicken.

I feel confident that the first few viewings of this film will hold any child's attention but after this I feel equally confident they'll be looking back to the shelf for their firm favourites.

Perfect cure for insomnia
I usually like these kind of films - where the quality of animation is great and the voices are well matched to the characters.
This film however falls in to the 'tedious' category. It has a commentary style, which is more akin to a 'making of' supplementary DVD than an actual film. The pacing is very slow, to the point that it can't even keep an adult interested, let alone children. Bottom line is, nice premise, nice animation, but nice is just sooooo uninspiring.
Yawnsville.