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Step Into Liquid (2003)
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Reviews Counted:76
Fresh:62
Rotten:14
Average Rating:6.9/10
Consensus: A perfect companion piece to The Endless Summer.
Theatrical Release:Aug 8, 2003 Limited
Box Office: $3,640,512
Synopsis: If you've ever wondered what it would be like to ride at Pipeline, flirting on the edge of some of the ocean's most powerful and dangerous waves, then you're ready to Step Into Liquid. In this new... If you've ever wondered what it would be like to ride at Pipeline, flirting on the edge of some of the ocean's most powerful and dangerous waves, then you're ready to Step Into Liquid. In this new documentary, director Dana Brown finds that "the stoke" - the passion and elation that keeps surfers paddling back for more - can be found in some pretty unlikely places. Son of Bruce Brown, whose The Endless Summer and its sequel are the best known and most widely seen surfing films ever, Dana's perspective on surfing is a wholly unique one, and he has seen it go from flaky fad to international phenomenon. Moving far beyond the beaches of sunny Southern California, surfing now criss-crosses the globe, from Texas to Wisconsin, Ireland to Vietnam. Traveling to some of the hottest surfing spots in the world, Dana finds the real search isn't for the biggest tube or most radical ride, but instead uncovers and examines what it is about surfing that hooks people's souls, becoming integral to their lives in ways that far exceed a simple pastime. There are as many surfer stories to be found as there are surfers, such as the guy who hasn't missed a day in the water for over 27 years. Or the one eager to get back on his board even after a crippling accident. The film also pays notice to the rise of women in the sport, checks in on the subjects from The Endless Summer films, and follows one group of fearless surfers who head 100 miles from shore to ride some 60-foot-plus, once-every-ten-years waves. With stunning photography that puts the viewer right in the water with many of the best surfers of today, it's time to Step Into Liquid - to catch a wave and get stoked. [More]
Starring: Kelly Slater, Taj Burrow, Laird Hamilton, Rochelle Ballard
Starring: Kelly Slater, Taj Burrow, Laird Hamilton, Rochelle Ballard
Director: Dana Brown
Director: Dana Brown
Screenwriter: Dana Brown
Producer: John-Paul Beeghly
Composer: Richard Gibbs
Studio: Artisan Entertainment
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Reviews for Step Into Liquid
Because it gets so close to the real thing, the film does a good job of letting even the most hopelessly landlocked viewers experience vicariously the unique allure and adrenaline rush of being one with a surging 60-foot wall of water.
Step Into Liquid reminds you of those proselytizing efforts occasionally released by religious organizations that preach about life transformed by spiritual awakening.
The highest compliment than can be paid to Step Into Liquid is that even if you've never put a toe in the ocean, you will leave this movie wanting to surf.
With neo-rock replacing beach boyisms and new optical technology permitting crisp Steadicam close-ups of ballet-like aquabatics, Step into Liquid is state-of-the-art non-art.
There are scenes of wave riders meeting waves, shot from underwater, that are so gorgeous they make you feel like you're in some kind of trance.
Brown's premise is that surfing is fun anywhere, and his film celebrates that idea and showcases the spectacular moves and wrecks that are an integral part of any surf movie.
Magnificent to behold, slightly rambling, and prone to prosaic observations.
Belongs to that category of films, like nature documentaries and some Andy Warhol movies, that are pleasantly boring. They are neither too thoughtful to demand a critical response, nor too complacent to invite ennui.
For those stuck in a steamy city, Step Into Liquid provides a quenching escape, with its breathtaking footage of Hawaii, Tahiti, Costa Rica, etc.
This is pretty much a feel-good film for committed fans and moviegoers looking for some spectacular combination of travelogue, athleticism and slo-mo grace.
Succeeds in creating the feeling that we are watching something that goes beyond the obvious, something bigger than just a group of people with an intense hobby.
At its best exhilarating and at its worst repetitious and curiously preachy, it's a mixed bag, but more diamond than zircon.
Step Into Liquid is filled with stunning images of surfing around the world and the documentary's playful spirit perfectly matches the subject.
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