I have to admit up front that I just don't 'get' surfing. I never have and never will. Then again, I don't 'get' most thrill-seeking sports (or sports in general). Despite this, however, I went into "Storm Surfers 3D" with great enthusiasm, if only because I expected some spectacular cinematography, and in that respect I was not disappointed. What WAS disappointing, though, is that despite some often-stunning cinematography, the film overall is, dare I say it, dull. I neither liked it or hated it but its effect was not unlike a lesser IMAX feature: pleasant enough but not particularly engaging and immediately dismissed from one's mind. Perhaps because I'm not a fan of surfing, I didn't necessarily feel drawn into the drama and excitement one is supposed to feel during the scenes of waves being ridden. However, what WAS exciting, even exhilarating, are those moments when the camera perfectly captures the balletic rise and fall of waves, or inside a curl. These are visually stunning, neither because of nor despite the surfing aspect. The film focuses on two internationally-renowned Australian surfers, Tom Carroll and Ross Clarke-Jones; of the two, Tom Carroll is the most interesting, not least of all because he remains an incredibly attractive human being. You can easily relate to him and his outlook on life, and his demeanor is that of an everyday guy. Clarke- Jones, on the other hand, is not entirely likable, at least to me; he alludes early on to being 'a kid', though he's easily in his 50's by now, and maintains the belief that he's akin to a 'rock star'. Quickly tiresome is his endless reliance on calling his partner Tom 'a girl' for being concerned with such mundane matters as overall health and how his actions might directly affect his wife and three daughters, particularly as someone who is no longer a young boy. Clarke-Jones comes across as one of those guys who is endlessly amused by himself, with nary an ounce of depth or life beyond the waves. For those who are interested in seeing this, however, by all means if you are an surfing enthusiast, you are likely to enjoy it; be warned that though it's entirely suitable for children, if the two little kids (5-7 years old) I saw at my screening are any indication, they were bored and restless early on. Older kids (10+) might find it enthralling. If, however, you can take surfing or leave it, it's best to leave it: this movie won't change your mind.
