Over this past weekend, I re-watched “Surf’s Up,” and I thought the movie was really good. I really enjoyed the unique format of the movie, making it seem like it is a documentary following this penguin Cody Maverick as he chases his dream becoming a pro surfer, but everyone around him doubts him and tells him that it’s a stupid dream.
Followed by a documentary film crew, he leaves his home in Antarctica for Pen Gu Island, site of the Big Z Memorial Surf Off. On his way Cody meets another surfer named Chicken Jo, Chicken Jo is from Michigan he was the only surfer there and once him and Cody meet they become friends immediately. Cody’s whole love for surfer comes from his idol Big Z, Big Z was the best surfer when Cody was a kid he even came to Cody’s island and gave him a necklace that Cody wears at all times. But Big Z died surfing a huge wave. It gets revealed that he didn’t die: he was going to lose to a new surfer, Tank, and Big Z didn’t want to go back defeated having to face his fans, so he disappeared and made it seem like he died.
Once Cody gets to the Big Z Memorial Surf Off he sees Tank disrespecting the Big Z Memorial and challenges him to a surf off. Cody gets destroyed and seriously injured, which leaves Lani Aliikai the penguin lifeguard to take him deep into the woods to get him help. The help she seeks is from Big Z, he takes care of Cody. Big Z has let himself go, so Cody doesn’t recognize him, Big Z asks Cody why the surf off is so important to him and tries to get him to drop it. Meanwhile, Chicken Jo has been all over the Forrest looking for Cody.
Big Z tells Cody he should make a board after they find a log that is the made of what the best surf boards in the world are made off. They find a private beach on the other side of the island. That’s where Cody recognizes that it was Big Z’s old place and then it clicks for Cody that Big Z has been with him the whole time. Cody goes crazy and begs him to teach him but he denies and after seeing Cody’s bad surfing he offers some help from the beach. Then Big Z teaches Cody how to create his board, but Cody rushes the process which makes it turn out horrible.
Lani Aliikai finds out the Cody got him down to the beach and she is so happy and says that she hasn’t got him out of the tree in years. Cody is shocked that she knew he was Big Z and that’s when she reveals that he is her uncle. Cody and Lani then go out and Lani shows him the fun stuff on the island. When Cody gets back Big Z is asleep and Cody locks in and starts over and begins to make another surf board Big Z wakes up to him working on it and then offers to train him. While training, Cody gets upset about Big Z’s weird drills, but once Cody begins to have fun, Big Z reveals that he’s ready and they go in the water and start to surf for real. Cody asks Big Z to come watch him race but he declines.
On Cody’s way back to the surf off, Chicken Jo finds him and tell he’s been looking for him for days. Once Cody returns to the surf off everyone is shocked. When the competition starts, Cody begins to surprise everyone by advancing early into the competition. Cody, Chicken Jo, and Tank are in the finals with Tank projected to win easily. But Tank starts to show off and wipes out, which gives Cody the chance to win, but he sacrifices his win to save Chicken Jo from getting taken out by Tank, giving Chicken Jo the win.
I personally really enjoyed the movie I’d probably give it a 3.5/5.
