Supernatural High

Soul Surfer

Directed by Sean McNamara

Runtime: 106 min.

When
13-year-old Bethany Hamilton goes surfing with her family in Hawaii, she moves
through the water and wind elements—blue ocean-blue sky—as if it were her
natural habitat. Director Sean McNamara’s supernatural action imagery alone
justifies the title of Soul Surfer. Hamilton’s real-life story is so
paradisiacal, it elevates the habits of an American family that is both
athletic and religious seem utterly natural. In this context, faith seem
natural which makes Soul Surfer a radical proposition among today’s mostly
godless secular film fare.

The sudden
shark attack that costs Bethany her left arm provides the commercial hook for
Soul Surfer but it is to the filmmakers’ credit that they avoid cheap suspense
and even cheaper sanctimony by treating Christianity and perseverance with
credible, respectful matter-of-factness. The movie glides by easily—like
surfing looks—which is the result of genuine and strong filmmaking craft.
AnnaSophia Robb, who debuted at age 9 in the touchingly ethical Because
of Winn-Dixie, plays Bethany with believable plain innocence. 

Bethany’s
blondness is part of her family trait: father Dennis Quaid and mother Helen
Hunt make a believable outdoorsy duo who smile, show grief and inspire with
veteran precision. The Hamiltons represent a post-missionary breed who don’t
have to proselytize their faith; they simply live it. Soul Surfer stays on the
surface of their American reality (a middle-class WASP lifestyle casually mixed
with indigenous Asian sounds) but its uniqueness drives our curiosity deeper
into non-secular culture.

Movies like Soul Surfer typically get a cynical response from mainstream
media, even though (as in the case of The Blind Side) audiences embrace the
simple and guileless drama of average human lives. That was also the lesson of
Carrie Underwood’s career-making hit song “Jesus Take the Wheel” and her
supporting role as Bethany’s church counselor is not just a star turn, it’s
practically a redoubtable visitation to underscore the point. Soul Surfer’s end
credits use actual footage of brave young Hamilton as testimony to her competitive
spirit and devotion, a grounding that distinguishes it from the Aron Ralston
story in 127 Hours which was flashy, entertaining but relatively empty by
comparison.