Author: Germaine Kwong
Class: 4C
Soul Surfer is a drama film directed by Sean MaNamara. The movie was released in 2011 and the running time of the movie is 112 minutes.
The story is set in 2003 in Hawaii, USA, and revolves around a young and talented surfer called Bethany Hamilton (played by Anna Sophia Robb). One day, Bethany goes training as usual, a shark attacks her. Since then, she loses her left arm. As an elite surfer, it is a big strike to her surfing career. Although the future seems gloomy for her, she never gives up by confronting a series of challenges and tough training in order to return to competitions. Can she find herself a new purpose in life again?
Soul Surfer is a straightforward, unpretentious film. The dialogues of the movie are realistic, inspiring and wise. We can benefit a lot from it. The screenplay is a little old-fashioned. However, the screenwriter wants to tell us that if we have difficulties in our lives, or when the future seems gloomy for us, we should never give up. Certainly, this is the secret of our success.
It’s not only the dialogue and screenplay are excellent but also the filming techniques. The sound effects are very nice, especially, when the shark appears. It is fearful and nervous. The music in general conveys a happy atmosphere. The theme song is positive and inspiring and the lyrics supports the plot. The costumes are highly suitable for the actors.
My favourite character is Bethany Hamilton. She is the main character of the movie. With disability, it is undoubtedly difficult for her to realise her dream. However, she is a brave and strong girl who doesn’t give up and works very hard towards her goal. I am deeply impressed by her perseverance.
In general, the film is a worthwhile watch. On a scale from zero to five, I give this film a five because of its exceptional storyline, dialogues, characters and filming techniques. The film literally brought tears to my eyes. I sincerely recommend this film to everyone of you.