Soul Surfer

By Matt Slick

Soul Surfer is an uplifting feel-good movie about the real-life surfer Bethany Hamilton who is an up-and-coming surfing star.  Her hopes of suffering stardom are dashed when a shark bites off her left arm and disappears into the water.  Fortunately, she was not alone and her quick thinking companions made all the right moves as they rushed her to shore, tied off her bleeding arm, and got her to the hospital.  She survives - but just barely.

Dennis Quad and Hellen Hunt play her parents.  Carrie Underwood has her acting debut as a Christian woman who ministers to Bethany.  In all, it is a great movie that doesn't compromise the Christian faith that was so evident in the Hamilton household -- and that was a breath of fresh air.  The movie isn't preachy about Jesus but there is no doubt that the Hamiltons trust in the Lord and, like any family that has suffered a trauma, they manage to deal with it.

The acting was good.  The water sequences were spectacular.  The best scene is the shark attack and subsequent rush to the hospital.  It was definitely intense and well done.  There wasn't any cussing.  The Lord's name was not taken in vain.  There wasn't any nudity or violence.  However, there were a lot of surfers showing a lot of skin.  Can't complain about that since it is a movie about surfing.  In all, it was well done and very much worth seeing.