Dorathen
Better Late Then Never
Catangro
After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.
Bumpy Chip
It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.
wes-connors
"With the help of a surfing guru (Gregory Harrison) and the love and support of a local girl (Nia Peeples), teenage surf champion Rick Kane (Matt Adler) conquers his fears, gains the respect of his adversaries, and discovers the real secret to mastering the powerful waves of Oahu's North Shore. Also featuring appearances by wave legends Gerry Lopez and Laird Hamilton, and World Champions Shaun Tomson, Derek Ho, and Mark Occhilupo," according to the DVD sleeve.Bland formulaic surf stuff. The Hawaiian waves outperform everyone with the notable exception of bleached blond John Philbin (as Turtle). Mr. Adler's surfing nemesis, Laird Hamilton (as Lance Burkhart), looks great in his Halloween party body paint. Mr. Harrison ages exceptionally well. And, pretty Ms. Peeples handles the romantic distaff cast practically by herself. The DVD extras are relatively generous, with "alternate ending" and "deleted scenes" that could make you wince.**** North Shore (8/14/87) William Phelps ~ Matt Adler, John Philbin, Gregory Harrison, Nia Peeples
Peter Swanson
North Shore is good mindless entertainment, but get real people, it is NOT a great film. Firstly, the very idea of there being an Arizona State Surfing Champion is hilarious. Secondly, his going to the north shore and even getting into a surfing contest is a major chuckle. His winning a heat is beyond-comprehension laugh-out-loud material. I do appreciate that we see early in the film that he REEally is not prepared for functioning in the actual ocean, as opposed to the Big Surf wave pool in Tempe. It's a good thing he acquired a mentor, or he would've died...and that's no hyperbole. The major enjoyment I get from this film is seeing truly excellent performances by a stack of genuinely legendary surfers, especially Gerry Lopez, deservedly known as Mister Pipeline, and one of history's great watermen. Gregory Harrison's beard came in handy, as it allowed us to watch Ken Bradshaw in his place in the water. I get a big laugh out of Laird Hamilton, who was clearly in a state of severe discomfort in front of the camera. Watching this after repeated viewings of Riding Giants is especially funny, because he is now completely at ease with being filmed and interviewed. I guess he put on poise and self-confidence along with those 30 or 40 pounds of muscle. Occy is a gas, the prototypical fun Aussie, and a natural performer. There's also a twinge of sadness at seeing the late, great Mark Foo in his prime. Even if you don't surf, you'll find this entertaining. I agree with the previous reviewers who opine that it has a lot more in common with Beach Blanket movies than reality, but it is fun to watch.
drewmilford
Yeah, North Shore is awesome. It's the greatest movie ever. Seriously. It's good in a cult way...I've watched this movie probably 100 times in the past 10 years. It's the best, and that fact that they rereleased it on DVD with interviews and deleted scenes shows that I'm not the only person who thinks its cool...I think every surfer has probably seen it at least once, even if just for the hell of it. There are about 1000 quotable lines in North Shore. Who ever wrote the script is awesome. The character "Turtle" has some of the best lines in the movie. Also, the music is really cool in 80s sort of way. I even think there's a Journey song at the end. I wonder if there's a soundtrack somewhere out there...
RNMorton
Don't know how I missed this little gem. Adler leaves the wave machines of Arizona for the real big ones of Oahu. Equal time given to the big three beaches (Sunset Waimea and Pipeline) once he gets there. Film delivers exquisitely on its very simple level. The male version of Blue Crush, only 15 years before it. 10/10
