Synopsis
This documentary tells the story of a group of Australian and South African surfers who revolutionized their sport in Hawaii during the winter of 1975.
Scores
Overall Score
33.4
Popularity Percentile (Year)
15.4%
Box Office Percentile (Year)
33.1%
Review Aggregate
74.5
Critic Consensus
Critic reception is largely positive, with 78% of 36 logged reviews marked Fresh. Across reviews, critics repeatedly emphasize stylized, dark, gritty. Most critics frame the film as an effective delivery of its core style and intent.
stylizeddarkgrittyupliftingemotionalfamily-friendlylightheartedvisually striking
Cast
| Cast | Year | Reported Salary | Inflation Adjusted | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne Bartholomew | 2008 | $2,000 | $3,000 | (est) |
| Ian Cairns | 2008 | $1,000 | $2,000 | (est) |
| Mark Richards | 2008 | $1,000 | $1,000 | (est) |
| Shaun Tomson | 2008 | $1,000 | $1,000 | (est) |
| Michael Tomson | 2008 | $1,000 | $1,000 | (est) |
| Peter Townend | 2008 | $1,000 | $1,000 | (est) |
Aggregated Reviews
Rotten Tomatoes critic score78.0
RT critic review count37
Rotten Tomatoes audience score73.0
RT audience rating count500
IMDb rating7.1
IMDb votes333
Box Office ?
| Category | Year | Reported | Inflation Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic | 2008 | $109,427 | $159,439 |
| International | 2008 | $78,400 | $114,232 |
| Worldwide | 2008 | $187,827 | $273,671 |
Earnings / Profitability
| Category | Year | Reported | Inflation Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenues | |||
| Theatrical Net Revenue | 2008 | $86,074 | $125,412 |
| Digital Rentals ? | 2008 | $498,000 | $725,604 |
| Digital Purchases ? | 2008 | $178,000 | $259,353 |
| Physical Rentals ? | 2008 | $4,129,000 | $6,016,105 |
| Physical Purchases ? | 2008 | $8,554,000 | $12,463,492 |
| TV & Streaming Revenue | 2008 | $54,714 | $79,720 |
| Total Revenues | 2008 | $13,499,787 | $19,669,686 |
| Expenses | |||
| Budget ? | 2008 | $180,000 (est) | $262,267 (est) |
| Print & Advertising (P&A) ? | 2008 | $150,000 (est) | $218,556 (est) |
| Participations | 2008 | $540,000 | $786,800 |
| Residuals ? | 2008 | $959,000 | $1,397,298 |
| Interest & Overhead | 2008 | $36,000 | $52,453 |
| Total Expenses | 2008 | $1,865,000 | $2,717,374 |
| Movie Net Profit or Loss | 2008 | $11,634,787 | $16,952,312 |
Similar Movies
| Poster | Movie | Year | Match | Overall | Est. Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Riding Giants | 2004 | Shared genres: 4 | 59.9 | $29,231,828 |
 | Step Into Liquid | 2003 | Shared genres: 4 | 56.3 | $30,575,537 |
 | Surfwise | 2008 | Shared genres: 4 | 54.6 | $18,085,591 |
 | Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable | 2019 | Shared genres: 4 | 47.1 | $8,046,185 |
 | Bra Boys | 2008 | Shared genres: 4 | 44.3 | $14,233,448 |