The Surfer is a new film releasing in the United States this upcoming weekend after it had its world premiere about a year ago at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. Written by Thomas Martin & directed by Lorcan Finnegan, the film stars Nicolas Cage, Julian McMahon, Nic Cassim, Miranda Tapsell, Alexander Bertrand, and Justin Rosniak. A man returns to the idyllic beach of his childhood to surf with his son. When he is humiliated by a group of locals, the man is drawn into a conflict that keeps rising and pushes him to his breaking point.

Seeing Nicolas Cage in any modern day movie almost grabs my attention. Emphasis on the almost as he still pumps out straight-to-DVD that I avoid like the plague. Cage brought his best performance in Pig, so I will try to watch whatever he does next. Seeing all the rave reviews come out of the world premiere, I also avoided anything about this film like the plague. It’s better going into a movie knowing next to nothing. Getting an early screener for the film gave me the perfect opportunity to do that and witness just how wild it got.

Starting off with vibrant colors as the cinematography captures the grand landscape of the area, the film consistently gives you something gorgeous to look at. From the fiery sun to the blue & cool waters, it feels like I was there in each scene with the characters, which helps when the film casually transitions into its acid-like dream sequences. The film may focus less on surfing than you would think for its title, but there is no denying the feel you get from watching what the surfer goes through.

As the film gets a wider release, I can only imagine this will become more mixed as time goes on due to the way the story plays out. It certainly goes in a direction I did not expect, but I think the film is all the better for it. I feel like it may even be one of those movies that you either get or you don’t. If you don’t, then it may not be for you, but that’s not to say that watching it for Cage’s performance alone is worth it. It’s not his best performance, but I have not seen a film be able to match the wild energy of Cage as much as this one has through its bizarre concept.

Thematically, I believe the film is trying to convey why you should never return back to where you came from. Cage’s character appears to be doing quite well in the beginning. His journey throughout the film proves that going back to his roots is not worth it between the town bullies and the new trauma he will bring onto his son. The path that he has to take to prove his worth to these people that didn’t care about him in the first place is not worth it. It can lead to some messy character decisions that I didn’t always agree with, yet the story still managed to have its own identity.

One aspect that immediately grabbed my attention was seeing Julian McMahon in an antagonistic role. He hasn’t done a whole lot lately, so it surprised me to see him in the role that he was in. He gave a dark & convincing performance as someone who never really grew up and managed to trick everyone around him to play by his games. There was more potential to create more friction between him and Cage. His performance still stood out that helped convey the film’s messages.

The film offers a unique score that often plays into the film’s energy. Technically speaking, the film is masterful as the creative team behind it is creating something immersive. Director Lorcan Finnegan creates something of his own through a script that he clearly understands. He finds Cage as the perfect actor to play the kind of role he wants out of the film. The film embraces its wild side and asks Cage to match it, which he does with precision.

If you are looking for a film about Cage surfing, you might want to go in with different expectations. For a film called The Surfer, we rarely see the character surf. I don’t see that as the intention of the film though. This titular character surfs and crashes his way throughout this journey, and I think that’s the film’s truest intent. Based on how wild it can get, I can’t imagine myself wanting to rewatch it. The ending can be a bit conflicting as I couldn’t quite imagine the characters acting in the way they do. The film still accomplishes what it sets itself out to do with its core thematic messages.

Overall, The Surfer is a solid watch that gives Cage the right opportunity to be his best self through what the story has to offer. The themes are clear, the direction is intentional, and the visuals are masterful, yet I still found myself wanting something more realistic that could have been offered through the core problem within the story. If you are a fan of Cage or looking for something fresh & original, this is a good one to check out.

VERDICT: 3.5/5 (Pretty Good)