What to watch. 15 Best Surfing Movies

Surfing is probably the most summer sport of all. The most charming characters in the movies, where the plot unfolds near the ocean, are sure to surf. If you too dream of conquering the waves, but before the vacation is still far away, watch a movie about surfing. The best ones are in our selection.

“A View From a Blue Moon (2015)

The first surfing movie in 4K quality. John John Florence, one of the best modern surfers, filmed conquering waves with friends. The picture quality and angles are mesmerizing.

“Point Break,” 1991.

An absolute classic. An action movie about a gang of surfers who rob banks and escape from the FBI. Young Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves, girls in swimsuits, romance and drama, self-discovery, undercover FBI agent – a mix that dooms the movie to legendary status.

Point break – a place where a protruding stretch of land creates the perfect conditions for surfing. The wave breaks against this protrusion, creating new strong waves with the right frequency. A doldrums zone also appears, where it is convenient to paddle up to the waves.

“Chasing Mavericks (2012).

The movie is based on real events. The main character is a Californian surfer Jay Moriarty. He dreamed of conquering Mavericks – waves up to 25 meters high on the California coast. His mentor Hasson (Gerard Butler) promised his beloved not to risk his life, but the persistence of young Jay makes him fight the wave again. Can the heroes ride the elements together?

“Soul Surfer” (Soul Surfer, 2011).

Another biographical movie based on the memoirs of surfing star Bethany Hamilton. At the age of 13, she lost her arm after a shark attack, but she didn’t give up. Bethany, thanks to the strength of spirit, became one of the best and still conquers waves on a par with healthy surfers. A touching movie with great attention to detail and biographical nature of the story.

Based on the book “Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board” by Bethany Hamilton.

“Endless Summer,” 1966.

“This 1966 documentary doesn’t look boring at all. The story of two surfers who travel the world and catch a wave in South Africa. Worth watching to compare what surfing was like 50 years ago.

“King of the Waves: The Life of Laird Hamilton” (Take Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton, 2017)

A documentary again. This time about Laird Hamilton, the icon of American surfing. The film answers many philosophical questions about surfing and hypnotizes with the picture.

“Catch the Wave” (Surf’s Up, 2007).

A funny cartoon about penguin surfers who have everything like people. Made in the genre of “mokyumentary”. The cartoon was even nominated for “Oscar”, but it did not reach the statuette.

“Surfer” (Surfer, Dude, 2008).

A comedy with Matthew McConaughey, who plays a surfer obsessed with a life’s work. Somehow he returns to his native shore and doesn’t recognize the town. Everything is subject to some kind of Virtual Reality, and most importantly, all the waves are gone.

“A Scene at the Sea, 1991.

A heartbreaking drama from Takeshi Kitano. The main character, Shigeru, is a deaf-mute. One day he finds a broken surfboard and it completely changes his life. There are almost no words in the movie – the noise of the waves is enough.

“Surf” (2018).

A Russian documentary about adventure, the road to dreams and the Motherland. A group of surfer friends travel across Russia in search of waves. Worth watching if only for the mesmerizing Russian landscapes.

“Surfing Tahiti 3D” (The Ultimate Wave Tahiti, 2010)

One of the most informative movies about the sport. Surfing legend Kelly Slater comes to Tahiti and talks about himself, the wave and true passion. There are many interesting things in the movie, for example, the authors answer the question: how waves are formed. The movie, by the way, can be seen in 3D.

“The Shallows” (The Shallows, 2016).

Filmed so many thrillers and horrors about the ocean that it would be unfair to do without this genre in the selection. Nancy is carefree catching a wave until a shark starts chasing her. The girl is driven to the shoal and is left alone with nature and the predator. The picture keeps in tension until the very end.

“North of the Sun” (North of the Sun, 2012).

A documentary about surfing and ecology. Instead of Malibu beaches – Norway. It is here that the main characters find the perfect waves and live 9 months in the open air. At the same time they collect garbage on the coast and build from it at least some roof over their heads. During the whole time the surfers have collected several tons of garbage.

“Big Wednesday” (1978).

The movie covers 12 years in the lives of three surfing friends. In this story, besides surfing and partying, social themes also appear: the Vietnam War, issues of growing up, and personal life. The movie was filmed in 1978, but even today looks relevant.

“On the Wave” (2019).

“On the wave” – a large-scale Russian film that tells about the beauty of the ocean and surfing, reveals both its sporting side and philosophical. The movie weaves together two stories – the story of Masha, a Russian girl who dreams of catching her first wave, and 11-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater. Masha comes to Bali to learn how to surf, but faces her biggest challenge – a fear of deep water. Kelly, being the champion, is forced to reaffirm his title due to a technical error.