danachomski

“Soul Surfer” or Soul Sucker?

When you come back from a loss, beat the odds, and never say never, you find a champion. If you’re a sucker for sad but inspirational movies, then “Soul Surfer” is the movie for you! I watched this movie a couple of weeks ago and I still cannot wait to watch it again. “Soul Surfer” is a true story of a young girl who had to overcome a huge obstacle in her life. This movie has great acting, effects, and really does leave you thinking about your life and how fortunate you are compared to others.

“Soul Surfer” takes place in Kauai, Hawaii where Bethany Hamilton (Anna Sophia Robb) lives with her parents Tom(Dennis Quaid) and Cheri(Helen Hunt), and her two older brothers. Everyone in her family has been surfers their entire life. Alana Blanchard (Lorraine Nicholson) is Bethany’s best friend who shares a love for the sport as well. Bethany’s teacher and church ministry leader Sarah Hill(Carrie Underwood) is good friends with Bethany and supports her surfing.

Bethany seemed to have her life all planned out, though that changed very quickly. On the early morning of October 31^st both of the girls go surfing along with Alana’s dad and brother, as Bethany’s left arm dangles in the water a shark bites it off near the shoulder. Bethany is rushed to the hospital, losing 60% of her blood and her arm; Dr Rovinsky called her survival a true miracle.  Bethany is forced to learn how to cope with only one arm, and change her lifestyle completely.

Of course Anna Sophia Robb who plays Bethany Hamilton did an amazing job portraying what it is like to have lived through a shark attack. She truly felt what it was to have one arm, as she had her arm tied behind her back the entire film. Sophia Robb really captured both the physical and emotional pain of what Bethany Hamilton was going through. Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt who play Bethany’s parents also had a very difficult part to play. They had to portray parents who had their daughter go through a shark attack and barely survive. It must have been hard acting that out, and thinking about they’re own children going through something like this. One actor who I think did not do to good of job is Carrie Underwood who plays Sara Hill, Bethany’s teacher. Carrie Underwood did a good job, but it was nothing special, I didn’t see her true emotions show through. Carrie Underwood should stick with singing.

I really liked how the director didn’t leave the audience with too much suspense waiting for the shark attack. In the trailer we know that Bethany does get attacked by a shark, and I liked that it happened pretty early on in the film, so that the rest of the film was more about her struggles and the obstacles she overcomes with one arm and not so much about the shark attack. I also liked that a good portion of the movie was Bethany working extremely hard to get back to her surfing with one arm. Bethany didn’t just take a couple of days and then get back to her surfing, she really worked at it and I’m glad they let us see all the pain and hardships she had to go through. There is not much at all that I didn’t like about this movie, the only thing I can think of is when Bethany is surfing, I could tell sometimes that it wasn’t her. I read that the real Bethany Hamilton was doing all the actor’s stunts, which of course is fine, but it some parts I could tell it was Anna Sophia Robb, and that she looked completely different.

Never give up is probably the overall moral or lesson in this movie, Bethany Hamilton loses an arm in a shark attack but she does not quit, she works harder than she ever imagined having to work and overcomes her disability. Bethany is true example of fighting for your dream and to never let anything stand in the way. Another lesson that was learned from this movie is that it’s not what you look like on the outside, but what is on the inside. Clearly Bethany gets many stares and comments on her loss of her arm, but she soon learns that she doesn’t care what people think, because it is what on the inside that matters. I think many can take from this movie to always follow your dream, and if you think for any reason that you can’t reach your dream to just keep trying because if you work for it you can achieve anything.

I think them main group of people would be teenagers, age 14-18. The majority would probably be females watching this movie, as the main character is a female. I don’t think many adults would love this movie, as it is directed to younger viewers. Soul Surfer is rated PG. In conclusion, I really did enjoy this movie, I loved true stories because I feel like more people can relate to them. Great acting, well thought out storyline, and a really amazing message.

I would give this movie 4 out of 5 stars, because it was a great movie and I will definitely watch it again, but It’s not my favourite movie in the entire world.

Dana Chomski is 16 years old and is in grade 11. She currently does not have a job, but does babysitting and coaches soccer teams in the summer. Dana plays on a soccer team, the Oakville Renegades, and has been playing soccer for 9 years. Dana loves to read, hang out with friends and play the guitar.

Dana Chomski