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By Banxy
Point Break (1991) : A Classic Film Review (23/03/07)
You can tell that Banxy, normally a big lover of the snow, is yearning for summer, as this article is a dead giveaway. 1991's surf thriller Point Break is the film up for review.
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As the weather gets warmer at this time of year in the Northern hemisphere, thoughts turn to days out at the seaside, beach football (soccer), Sunbathing and Surfing.
Unfortunately, it's still far too cold to go out as yet, films of such events have to make do, a splash of action and maybe a dicing of daring and skills, mix that lot up and sieve out the soccer and the film you get is none other than Point Break.
The basic premise of the film is that Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves), the new FBI agent around town, is teamed with Angelo Pappas (Gary Busey), a senior Agent, and after yet another Bank robbery, the pair find themselves investigating a series of Bank robberies that take place in the same areas every summer by a group of bank robbers called the "ex-presidents" fronted by Bodhi (Patrick Swayze).
Arrrrr! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
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Most of the FBI agents have given up on ever catching the ex-presidents, labelling them as "ghosts", but one agent, Angelo Pappas, has a theory that the Ex-presidents are surfers for various reasons, mostly the time of year the bank robberies take place - during surf season.
Angelo's theory had become something of a joke to the other agents but Johnny Utah, intrigued by this theory, decided they should explore it further, but how to find out for sure?
Mr Anderson, welcome ba...
Sorry, wrong movie |
Angelo suggests that Johnny go undercover and learn to surf and integrate within the community in order to find out. Johnny agrees and this sets in motion a series of events which lead to a cracker of a film, with some darkly funny scenes with characters played very well by the actors including, bizarrely, among others, the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Anthony Kiedis.
I admit the idea of an FBI agent attempting to apprehend bank robbers that are also surfers is a little odd and it did put me off watching the film for a while, but I'm pleased I did watch it and it is definitely worth the watch.
The cast all act well and the story, although a little far fetched, is believable. |
The film has also become something of a cult classic, and the movie "Hot Fuzz" not only mentions Point Break several times but also has scenes spoofed from Point Break.
For the most part the movie still feels pretty current and the storyline does not seem out of place today, as aspects of the movie are timeless/common activities. However, the movie for me seems to last that little too long in the closing scenes, not that I didn't enjoy it, or was waiting for it to end, on the contrary, I really enjoyed watching it, but the final scenes should have been a little quicker and the "single parachute" scene was too over the top/surreal for my liking and just seemed out of character but that said, again, I really did enjoy this movie. |
"Squelch, Squelch, Squelch" Utah had heard pee'ing in your wetsuit warmed you up, only he had booties on, Urgh!
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Rating (Out of 5 Surfboards) : 3.75
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