movie review

Movie Review SOUL SURFER      Rating scale *-*****

CRITERIA	RATING	Comments
Mood	*****	Soul Surfer to me was really sad and heart warming.  It showed the true struggles of Bethany as she tried to keep up with life.
Realism	****	This movie seemed pretty real although I think that Bethany’s stress level was probably higher than the movie portrayed.
Plot line	****	Bethany Hamiltons dream was to become a professional surfer until her dreams were crushed, or so she thought, by a shark biting her arm off.  It shows her struggles and her success as she builds strength to compete in a surfing completion.
Special effects	****	The makers of soul surfer really didn't need effects because they had the ocean.  For the scene when Bethany’s arm was bitten off, it looked so real even though it was just animation.
Acting	****	Bethany Hamilton (played by Anna Sophia Robb) as well as the other characters, did a great job of portraying the message: Never give up, no matter what.

Movie Review

For me, Soul Surfer was one of the best movies of the year.  Bethany Hamilton had always dreamed of becoming a pro surfer. She started thinking twice when a shark bit off her arm and she struggled with her new disability.  The directors made it clear that she was having a hard time but I think the real Bethany struggled even more.  She wasn’t able to push up on her board or cut her food or even hold hand when her family gave thanks before dinner.  Soul Surfer was a sad film and it was even more sad to think that it was based on a true story.  But with the support of her family Bethany soon learns that you can’t give up, no matter what life throws at you, never give up.

The plot line moved along very well and there wasn’t any parts that dragged on for a while unlike some movies.  They speed up Bethany’s healing and struggling period so it wouldn’t take forever to get through that.

The animation in Soul Surfer was mainly only used to make Anna Sophia Robb, the girl who played Bethany, made her arm appear bitten off.  The real Bethany  Hamilton did all the surfing stunts in the movie so they didn’t need to animate Anna Sophia Robb.  The movie was filmed in Hawaii which is so beautiful and it really affected the mood of the movie and it added a calm serene feeling.  

   

All together I think Soul Surfer was a really good overall movie and i would recommend it to everyone who likes heartwarming or feel good movies. The actors portrayed the family well through all the bad times and the good ones. This movie is good and clean other than maybe the scene where her arm gets bitten off.  I watched this movie with my family and we all liked it.