Soul Surfer review

A real-life shark tale…

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Her arm bitten off by a shark, Hawaiian surfer chick Bethany Hamilton learns to ride those waves again…

An amazing true story for sure, but this earnest dramatisation is so wholesome, it feels like being stuck in a never-ending Activia advert.

Everyone is blonde, beautiful and buff – even the church-group leader that escorts Bethany (Bridge To Terabithia’s AnnaSophia Robb) to Thailand to help the post-tsunami locals learn to surf.

While Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt don’t add much as her parents, at least director Sean McNamara gets some stunning surf footage – and the scene with the shark is chillingly economic.

But ultimately? More Blue Crush than Big Wednesday.

Freelance writer

James Mottram is a freelance film journalist, author of books that dive deep into films like Die Hard and Tenet, and a regular guest on the Total Film podcast. You'll find his writings on 12DOVE and Total Film, and in newspapers and magazines from across the world like The Times, The Independent, The i, Metro, The National, Marie Claire, and MindFood.