| Surf's Up | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | |
| Screenplay by |
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| Story by |
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| Produced by | Chris Jenkins |
| Starring | |
| Edited by | Ivan Bilancio |
| Music by | Mychael Danna |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | |
Release date |
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Running time | 85 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $100 million[2] |
| Box office | $153 million[3] |
Surf's Up is a 2007 American animatedmockumentarycomedy film directed byAsh Brannon andChris Buck, and written by Brannon, Buck,Don Rhymer andChris Jenkins. The film features the voices ofShia LaBeouf,Jeff Bridges,Zooey Deschanel,Jon Heder, andJames Woods. It is aparody of surfing documentaries, such asThe Endless Summer andRiding Giants, with parts of the plot parodyingNorth Shore. Real-life surfersKelly Slater andRob Machado have vignettes as their penguin surfer counterparts. To obtain the desired hand-held documentary feel, the film's animation teammotion-captured a physical camera operator's moves.
Surf's Up was released in the United States on June 8, 2007, bySony Pictures Releasing, and received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise for the animation, humor and unique mockumentary setup.[4] The film grossed $152 million against a budget of $100 million, and was nominated forBest Animated Feature at the80th Academy Awards. A sequel,Surf's Up 2: WaveMania, was released in 2017. A TV series is in development atAtomic Cartoons.
A documentary crew arrives in the penguin community of Shiverpool,Antarctica to document the life of teenagenorthern rockhopper penguin Cody Maverick, living with his mother Edna and his older brother Glen. Cody has dreamed of becoming a professionalsurfer ever since meeting the famous surferemperor penguin Zeke "Big Z" Topanga many years ago. When talent scoutshorebird Michael Abromowitz arrives to find entrants for the Big Z Memorial surfing competition on Pen-Gu Island, Cody manages to prove his skills to enlist in the competition. En route to Pen-Gu Island, Cody befriends another entrant, Chicken Joe, a chillrooster surfer fromSheboygan, Wisconsin who has much in common with Cody. Chicken Joe and Cody soon become the best of friends.
The entrants arrive at Pen-Gu Island, where Cody meets and immediately falls in love with Lani Aliikai, a femalegentoo penguin who is alifeguard. He also meets the mean-spiritedking penguin Tank "The Shredder" Evans, who has won the competition nine times since its creation after Big Z's death a decade ago. Cody sees Tank vandalizing Big Z's memorial and furiously challenges him to a duel. Tank wins, while Cody nearly drowns and is stung by asea urchin named Ivan, getting a poisonous spine stuck in his foot. Lani rescues him and takes him to Geek, a recluse who lives in a tree in the middle of the island, to help Cody recover from his injuries. Cody wakes up, but cannot find the souvenir necklace given to him by Big Z when he was young. Geek leaves Cody at the pathway leading back to the beach, then finds the necklace in his hut, but is hesitant on returning the accessory.
Cody is hesitant to return, still embarrassed by his earlier wipeout. While returning the necklace, Geek finds Cody sitting on akoa log and offers to help him make a surfboard, Cody's previous boards all having been made out of ice. They attempt to take the log back to Geek's house, only to lose control of it and end up on a beach far away from the house. When Cody gets to the beach, he discovers a shack full of old trophies andsurfboards, which used to belong to Big Z. After observing Geek walking solemnly into the shack, he realizes that Geek is actually Big Z himself. Excited, Cody asks him to teach him how to surf. Big Z reluctantly agrees, but tells Cody he has to make his own board first.
The attempt goes disastrously, however, as an eager Cody refuses to listen to Big Z's advice and crafts a rough and unstable board that shatters upon hitting the water. Exasperated, Cody storms off and runs into Lani, who reveals that Big Z is her uncle, and Cody is eventually persuaded to return when Lani admits Cody is the only one who has been able to get Big Z out of his hut. Cody spends the night working patiently on a new board.
Big Z compliments Cody on his new board, and Cody is ready to start training. Big Z instead has him perform menial tasks that are seemingly unrelated to surfing. Finally, when Cody starts having fun and understands the essence of surfboarding, Big Z and Lani teach him how to surf the waves. Afterward, Cody asks Big Z if he will come to watch the competition, but he refuses, revealing that he faked his death because he realized he couldn't compete with his then-new rival Tank, and refused to show his face in front of his fans as a loser. Upset that his own idol gave up, Cody throws the necklace into the sea, meets up with Joe, and gets back to the competition just as it begins.
Cody makes it to the finals, as do Tank and Joe. In the first wave, Tank battles with Cody, with Tank trying to knock him off his board, but Tank falls off his own board and does not score any points. During the final wave, however, Tank appears and tries to throw Joe off his board. Cody intervenes at the last minute, sending himself and Tank into an area of the beach known as the Boneyards, which consists of dangerously sharp rock outcroppings and has killed many surfers who have ventured there.Tank punches Cody off his board before crashing and is rescued by Lani. Big Z, who had secretly been watching Cody's performance, rescues Cody from a gigantic wave and helps him get back to the beach safely.
Big Z and Cody find out that Joe won by default since Tank and Cody were disqualified. However, Cody accepts the loss, having decided he would rather just have fun instead. Big Z reveals himself to the spectators and invites all of them to surf at his beach, where he joins Cody in tube-riding. Cody finishes his interview with a reflection of the past events and then joins the rest of his friends in the water.
The idea forSurf's Up goes back to at least 2002.[5] The film was a concept "four and a half years" before other penguin movies likeHappy Feet came out. There was already a surfing penguin project in development at Sony, described asWest Side Story meetsRomeo + Juliet. Chris Jenkins said it wasn't a good idea, so the project died. He then re-presented the idea, but with a documentary angle.[6] In 2004, Brannon and Buck were announced to be directing the film, withQuiksilver on board as a creative consultant.[7] Kelly Slater and Rob Machado also gave the animators feedback on how the waves were animated. To add to the mockumentary feel, the voice actors were asked to do improv.[6]
| Surf's Up: Music from the Motion Picture | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by Various Artists | |
| Released | June 5, 2007 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 50:17 |
| Label | Columbia Records |
Surf's Up: Music from the Motion Picture was released on June 5, 2007. The following 14 songs are on the Sony's official film soundtrack.[8]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Reggae Got Soul" | Frederick Hibbert, Warrick Lyn | 311 | 3:09 |
| 2. | "Drive" | Alex Katunich, Brandon Boyd, Chris Kilmore, José Pasillas II, Michael Einziger | Incubus | 3:52 |
| 3. | "Stand Tall" | Dustin Bushnell, Jared Watson, Stan Frazier, Steve Fox | Dirty Heads | 3:11 |
| 4. | "Lose Myself" | Lauryn Hill | Lauryn Hill | 4:35 |
| 5. | "Just Say Yes" | Ken Andrews | Ken Andrews | 3:40 |
| 6. | "Forrowest" | Jorge Continentino, Mauro Refosco | Forro in the Dark | 4:44 |
| 7. | "Pocket Full of Stars" | David Jones, Hayley Hutchinson, James Galley, Martin Cohen, Sam Forrest | Nine Black Alps | 3:32 |
| 8. | "Into Yesterday" | Stan Frazier, Steve Fox | Sugar Ray | 4:11 |
| 9. | "Big Wave" | Eddie Vedder, Jeff Ament | Pearl Jam | 2:57 |
| 10. | "Wipe Out" | Robert Berryhill, James Fuller, Patrick Connolly, Ronald Wilson | The Queers | 1:41 |
| 11. | "Run Home (Instrumental)" | Daniel Watchorn, Michael Dyball, Michel Heppner, Vincent Nudo | Priestess | 3:37 |
| 12. | "What I Like About You" | Jimmy Marinos, Mike Skill, Walter Palamarchuk | The Romantics | 2:57 |
| 13. | "You Get What You Give" | Gregg Alexander, Richard Knowels | New Radicals | 4:57 |
| 14. | "Hawaiian War Chant (Ta-Hu-Wa-Hu-Wai)" | Leleiohaku, Ralph Freed | Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys | 3:14 |
| Total length: | 50:17 | |||
According to the film's end credits, the version of "Wipe Out" heard in the film is performed by the punk bandThe Queers. The official soundtrack includes this version under thepseudonym "Big Nose", presumably for marketing purposes.[9][10] Two songs byGreen Day, "Welcome to Paradise" (the version from the album “Dookie”) and "Holiday" in an instrumental version, are used for background music in the film.[11] Neither song appears on the official soundtrack album. In the primary teaser trailer, the song "Get on Top" by theRed Hot Chili Peppers can be heard in the background. "Welcome to Paradise" was also used in the second trailer promotingSurf's Up, as well as "Three Little Birds" bySean Paul featuringZiggy Marley. The DVD and Blu-ray behind-the-scenes featurette entitled "Making Waves" features the song "The Water", performed byVenice. This also does not appear on the "Surf's Up" soundtrack but can be found on Venice's "Garage Demos Part 2: Fast Stuff" CD.
Surf's Up: Original Ocean Picture Score was composed for the film byMychael Danna and it was released on a limited edition (of a thousand units) 23-track CD.[12]
To promote the film's release, surfboard wax bearing the film's logo and a rendering of Cody was given out at the 2006San Diego Comic-Con. A trailer was attached toOpen Season, which was released on September 29, 2006. On June 8, 2007,McDonald's issued eightSurf's Up toys in theirHappy Meals for one month.[13] In the Australian market, a few smallplush characters of Cody, Lani, Chicken Joe, and Geek replace some of the toys in the US lineup. There was also a tie-in with the candyAirheads which introduces a "New Wave" flavor (pineapple) and four collectiblelenticular motion surfboard-shaped pieces.Build-A-Bear stores sold plush toys of the film's protagonist, Cody Maverick. Patrons could "build" their own Cody as well as dress him up in an array of surf-themed clothing and other accessories in Build-A-Bear workshops. They could also purchase Cody and accessories at the official site. Several plushies from Nanco intended for claw machines can also be found and purchased in varying sizes (from 6 inches to 11 inches to 17 inches). Characters available: Cody, Lani, Tank, Geek, Big Z, Chicken Joe, and Reggie Belefonte. A rare set of larger (Geek measures 15 inches) and higher quality plushes had been made available at the premiere's after party. These were won through available games or given away with gift sets for attendees. Cody, Lani, Arnold, and Geek were also created and there are no plans for the dolls to be sold commercially. A series of children's 100-piece puzzles are available as well depicting various characters and setups. Five-inch waterproof plush tub toys were released byJakks Pacific in minimal quantities to most major retailers. Five characters were produced, including Cody, Tank, Big Z, Arnold, and Chicken Joe. Each character has an attached washcloth/surfboard. Along with the release of the film, a companionSurf's Up video game was released[14] byUbisoft for Windows, Mac OS X, PlayStation 2 and 3, Xbox 360, as well as the Nintendo GameCube and Wii. All versions of the game are the same with mild graphical differences, with only theNintendo DS version changing the overall format.
Surf's Up was released onBlu-ray,UMD Video andDVD in theUnited States on October 9, 2007. The DVD and Blu-ray included two animated short films:The ChubbChubbs! andThe ChubbChubbs Save Xmas, the latter of which premiered with this release.[15]
Surf's Up has a 79% approval rating onRotten Tomatoes based on 147 reviews; the average rating is 6.67/10. The site's consensus reads: "Surf's Up is a laid-back, visually stunning animated movie that brings a fresh twist to some familiar conventions. Its witty mockumentary format is fun and inventive, and the CGI is breathtakingly realistic."[4]Metacritic gave the film a score of 64 out of 100 based on 26 reviews.[16] Audiences surveyed byCinemaScore gave the film a grade "A−" on scale of A+ to F.[17]
Some reviews noted that in spite of it coming so soon after many films featuring penguins (March of the Penguins,Madagascar, andHappy Feet),Surf's Up was able to stand out on its own. Teresa Budasi of theChicago Sun-Times reviewed: "The originality of the documentary format coupled with the splendid CGI effects qualifiesSurf's Up as not just another penguin movie."[18]The Dallas Morning News critic Nancy Churnin agreed: "Sorry, cynics,Surf's Up is a charmer. And if the birds look somewhat familiar, they have something fresh to say about friendship and what winning is all about."[better source needed][19]James Berardinelli of ReelViews said: "If you have to see one penguin movie, this is it."[20] Roger Moore ofOrlando Sentinel gave the film a positive score, noting that it was "beautifully animated, terrifically acted and edited in a way that hilariously mimics thoseEndless Summer surf documentaries."[21] Conversely, Bill Muller,The Arizona Republic's critic, disliked almost everything: "From the nondescript voices to routine animation to an over-written story, this movie spends much of its time gasping for air."[22]
The film opened at number four and grossed $5,804,772 at the box office on its opening day in North America. It grossed $17,640,249 in its opening weekend. The film grossed $58,867,694 in North America, and $93,138,019 in the other territories, making the total worldwide gross $152,005,713.[3]
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipients | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards[23] | February 24, 2008 | Best Animated Feature | Ash Brannon andChris Buck | Nominated |
| Annie Awards | February 8, 2008 | Best Animated Feature | Surf's Up | Nominated |
| Outstanding Achievement for Animated Effects in an Animated Production | Deborah Carlson | Won | ||
| Animation Production Artist | John Clark | Won | ||
| Outstanding Achievement for Character Animation in a Feature Production | Alan Hawkins | Nominated | ||
| Dave Hardin | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Achievement for Character Design in a Feature Production | Sylvain Deboissy | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Achievement for Directing in an Animated Feature Production | Ash Brannon and Chris Buck | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Achievement for Production Design in an Animated Feature Production | Marcelo Vignali | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Achievement for Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production | Denise Koyama | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Achievement for Writing in an Animated Feature Production | Don Rhymer, Ash Brannon, Chris Buck and Christopher Jenkins | Nominated | ||
| Georges Award | Unknown | Best Animated Movie | Surf's Up | Nominated |
| Golden Reel Awards | February 23, 2008 | Best Sound Editing - SFX, Foley, Dialogue & ADR for Feature Film Animation | Steven Ticknor, Martin Lopez, Michael J. Benavente, Jason King, Ulrika Akander, Gary A. Hecker and Michael Broomberg | Nominated |
| MTV Russia Movie Awards | April 26, 2008 | Best Cartoon | Surf's Up | Nominated |
| My Nick Awards[24] | September 4, 2008 | Movie of the Year | Surf's Up | Won |
| Saturn Awards[25] | June 24, 2008 | Best Animated Feature | Surf's Up | Nominated |
| VES Awards | February 10, 2009 | Best Single Visual Effect of the Year | Rob Bredow, Lydia Bottegoni, Daniel Kramer and Matt Hausman | Nominated |
| Outstanding Performance by an Animated Character in an Animated Motion Picture | David Schaub, Moon-Jung Kang, Brian Casper and Andreas Procopiou | Nominated | ||
| David Schaub, Peter Nash, James Crossley andShia LaBeouf | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Effects in an Animated Motion Picture | Rob Bredow, Daniel Kramer, Matt Hausman and Danny Dimian | Nominated | ||
| Young Artist Awards | March 29, 2009 | Best Family Feature Film (Animation) | Surf's Up | Nominated |
A direct-to-video sequel, titledSurf's Up 2: WaveMania, was released on January 17, 2017. The film starsWWE superstarsJohn Cena,Triple H,The Undertaker,Vince McMahon, andPaige.[26]
On September 25, 2025, it was reported that a television series adaptation was being developed byAtomic Cartoons. Lienne Sawatsky, Dan Williams, and John Hazlett are writing and showrunning the adaptation, with Jennifer Twiner McCarron, Joel Bradley, Aaron Behl and Rick Mischel serving as executive producers, and Kitty Walsh serving as co-executive producer. The comedy series, titledSurf’s Up: The Series, will have 11-minute episodes, targeting kids aged 6–9, and will follow "an over-confident teen penguin named Flip, who teams a zany bunch of young surfers in his attempt to become a surf legend." Cody, Big Z, and Chicken Joe will also return.[27]
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