Step Into Liquid (2003)

Step Into Liquid is an unrelentingly positive and upbeat film that offers more boosterism and hagiography (and occasional good-natured teasing) than insight into the lives of surfers. While it does show that many surfers don't conform to the stoned slacker stereotype, it doesn't really explore what makes them tick beyond stating the obvious platitudes. Also, the attempts to depict surfing as a positive social force may seem a bit much to some viewers, particularly the sequence in which the Molloy Brothers bring together Protestant and Catholic children in Ireland by teaching them surfing. But the main reason to watch this type of film is to watch surfing, and Step Into Liquid does deliver in this regard by showing different styles and locations, including the obvious, the exotic, and the somewhat unexpected (e.g., riding waves created by supertankers in the Gulf of Mexico). The highlight of the film is the footage from the Cortes Bank, located 100 miles off the coast of San Diego, where a small group of surfers ventured to ride waves that reached over sixty feet high. After seeing these images and hearing the enthusiastic descriptions by the surfers of this experience, it's not hard to understand why someone would be fascinated by surfing. ~ Todd Kristel, All Movie Guide