![]() ![]() Bridge's Z is a great character, a sort of Big Bird by way of Big Lebowski, as comfortable as an old couch. Lifeguard Lani Aliikai (voice of Zooey Deschanel, "Elf") is admittedly a bit of a bland romantic interest, but she's given a terrific prop in her expressive squid aquatic propeller and cute subplot in Arnold, a chick who keeps drowning in order to be saved. If there's a disappointment in "Surf's Up's" cast of characters, it is Tank Evans (voice of Diedrich Bader, "Napoleon Dynamite"), a stock bad guy bully who nonetheless helps fuel Cody's character development. Better is Reggie Belafonte (voice of James Woods, "Northfork"), an otter with Don King hair, who is a manipulative promoter with a cute, furry face. Championship surfers like Kelly Slater and Rob Machado appear in avian versions of themselves. The animation itself is top notch, with realistic surfing sequences (lots of beautifully lit tube shooting) and an eerie 'boneyard' of dangerous shore rocks. The penguins are a combination of cartoon characteristics and beautifully realized feathers. The scratched up look of old home movies adds to the appeal, as does some interesting 'hand held' camera work that dodges in and around the characters. If only the filmmakers had employed their reality documentary device a bit more consistently (the camera crew comes and goes at will). Music is a mostly up tempo mix of surfing classics like "Surfer Girl" and "Wipe Out" wedded with complementary pop tunes ("What I Like About You").It sounds like a weak excuse for yet another computer-animated feature about penguins, especially after last year's "Happy Feet" (PG, 2006). Kids 6 and older will take pleasure in the film's clever overlay of surfer-dude culture onto a cartoon penguin world.īut it turns out that "Surf's Up," about a penguin who lives for surfing, is a funnier, less pretentious, more carefree enterprise that can stand on its own webbed feet. Older kids will also like the way it unfolds as a "reality TV" show, with interviews and scratchy "archival" scenes. ![]() The movie doesn't talk down to kids, but has plenty to tickle adults. And its message - that winning isn't everything - doesn't crash down like a wave. "Surf's Up" is consistently funny, from the three little penguin chicks who comment on the action to the "native" penguins who capture and nearly cook a surf-loving rooster. Tank can be argued to be redeemed in the first movie, however, Tank did not reform in the first film but he reformed in the sequel though.The look of the film is artful and the script includes great vocabulary words, such as "finesse," for grade-schoolers.Ĭody Maverick (voice of Shia LaBeouf) is a small Rockhopper penguin from Antarctica.Cody then rushes to rescue him along with J.C., causing Tank to redeem himself by realizing that Cody risked his life to save him and then accepted him as a friend. He seems to be more ignorant and cowardly than in the first film as it shows he feared for his own life surfing in the dangerous waters during a thunderstorm. ![]() Tank returns in the sequel to challenge Cody and the Hang 5 in surfing in the Trenches (a mysterious surfing spot that is considered dangerous). Lani helps Tank back to shore whilst Big Z comes to Cody's aid.Īfterwards, Tank is disqualified from the surf-off. Tank knocks Cody off his board, but ends up crashing. Tank and Cody end up in an area of the sea called The Boneyard (which had killed surfers in the past). Tank tries to knock Chicken Joe off his board, but is stopped by Cody. On the day of the surf off, Tank competes against Cody and Chicken Joe. Tank wins the surf off by wiping out Cody, who is rescued by Pen Gu Island's lifeguard Lani, who takes him to be healed by her uncle Geek (who is actually an older Big Z). Whilst on the island, Tank disrespects Big Z's memorial, much to the disgust and anger of fellow participate and fan of Big Z Cody Maverick, who challenges Tank to a surf off. Following this, a surfing contest called "The Big Z Memorial Surf Off" started and was won by Tank nine times.ġ0 years after Big Z's disappearance, Tank returned to Pen Gu Island to take part in the tenth surf off. Tired and knowing that he could not compete against Tank, Big Z faked a disappearance. During the surf off, Tank wiped Big Z out. Tank Evans competed against the famous surfer, Big Z, during a surfing contest on Pen Gu Island. ![]() He seems to be cowardly as he got scared about his own life surfing during a thunderstorm. He also likes to cheat until he reformed in the sequel. Tank Evans is arrogant and jealous, but he reforms towards the end of the sequel. ![]()
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