Surf’s Up (2007)

              Surf’s Up              

NETFLIX SYNOPSIS:  In this animated mockumentary, film crews go behind the scenes at the Penguin World Surfing Championship to provide a close-up look at the inventors of surfing. Yes, penguins were the first species to hang 10 — or at least that’s what this film purports. Animators Ash Brannon and Chris Buck co-direct the spoof, and Jeff Bridges, Zooey Deschanel, Brian Benben, Jane Krakowski, Michael McKean and James Woods, among others, lend their voices.

REVIEW:  Ah, the classic tale: Young penguin leaves behind the frozen Antarctic to try his hand at tropical big-wave surfing.  Making this animated film in the “mockumentary” style was a mistake — the mockumentary format slows the pace too much at points, alienating the target audience who won’t get the gag anyway.  The humor is forced, especially in the awkward first act, although we eventually warm to the characters a bit later in the film.  The voice acting is decent — The omnipresent Shia LaBeouf gamely plays along as the hero who has an Important Lesson to learn, and Jeff Bridges in Lebowski-Dude mode is there to teach it to him.  Like the “other” animated penguin tale Happy Feet, Surf’s Up tries too hard but eventually hits the mark.

3.5 stars
HAWK