On a board and a prayer: “Soul Surfer” Satisifies

“Soul Surfer” is not especially well written or directed -- but it’s a marvelous movie.  Absolutely marvelous.  I can’t imagine anybody seriously disliking it. This inauspicious little-engine-that-could tale concerns real-life surfer Bethany Hamilton, whose entire arm was bitten off by a tiger shark while she was surfing in Hawaii at the age of 13.

If you remember this news story -- it happened in 2003 -- you may recall that Hamilton was an aspiring surfboard champ at the time.  You may also recall that within a month, she was back on her board competing again. The captivating film version of Bethany’s tale is fleshed out with first-rate performances from AnnaSophia Robb, Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt -- plus some astounding CGI to effect the missing limb on Robb.

Indeed, the special effects team had its hands full here; not only does Robb spend two-thirds of the tale bearing a prominent stump -- but she usually does so in a bikini. And on top of that, many of the surfing scenes clearly had to be faked as well -- using stunt doubles or composite backgrounds. (This includes scenes with Quaid and Hunt as Bethany’s surfer parents.)

The arm shots are so flawless that I don’t even want to know how they did it. The surfing footage looks pretty smooth too; authenticity gets a boost here because Hamilton herself doubled Robb in some of the long-distance shots.

Director Sean McNamara, however, relies heavily on very short clips to pull off the surfing close-ups, and the pace is often hurried in some of the movie's most exciting moments. Also on the downside is Carrie Underwood, who barely manages her sentimental scenes as Bethany’s youth counselor. The problem here -- as elsewhere -- is that the writing is fairly one-dimensional.

A key to good movie dialog is subtext; that is, while the characters are saying one thing, there ought to be some unstated motivations or implications churning around on a deeper level.

“Soul Surfer” never has this; the movie wears its heart on its sleeve, demanding little of the inference and focus that can lend added depth to a well-written script.

In such cases, a film needs good actors to provide the extra resonance, and “Surfer” is well supplied in this area.

Robb and Quaid are excellent, but Oscar-winner Hunt really makes this movie work. Good luck keeping a dry eye in the scene where Mom, rushing to the hospital, must pull over for the ambulance that’s carrying her daughter.

“Surfer” also does a nice job with the Hamiltons’ Christian faith, which underlies the tale in a way that is both natural and authentic -- clear, but not pushy.

Leavened by Bethany’s visit to Thailand following the 2004 tsunami -- an experience that provided perspective on her struggles --“Soul Surfer” is inspiring entertainment that deserves a wider audience on DVD than it had in its limited theatrical run.

But stock up on some tissues first.

***1/2 (out of four)

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