Movie Review: “Soul Surfer”

Directed by Sean McNamara, Rated PG, 106 minutes

Reviewed by Hanna Thieme, age 16

Massachusetts

Soul Surfer is the inspiring, true story of Bethany Hamilton, a dedicated surfer who loses her arm while surfing. As a teenager in Hawaii, Bethany spends the majority of her time on a surfboard and she has a promising future as a professional surfer. However, one day she experiences a near-death experience like no other. Bethany and her best friend are lying on their surfboards in the ocean, far from shore, when suddenly a shark breaks through the surface and rips off Bethany's arm. Bethany loses a large portion of her blood, but after being rushed to the hospital and staying a few nights, she survives and is prepared to come home. Bethany faces the reporters at home with no problem, but finds that the largest problem she faces is how to adapt to her new life. At first, she wants to give up surfing, believing that there is no chance she can ever surf again. But with the support of her family, friends, and lots of determination, she gets in shape and learns to try surfing again. One of Bethany's most helpful factors in her recovery was her religion and practice in faith, which is notably expressed in the movie.

I recommend this movie because it made me grateful for my own capabilities and left me with a wonderful feeling that whatever may come in the future, if I can have faith and trust in my family and friends, then I can conquer any problem!

For more information about the film, see: http://www.soulsurferthemovie.com/

For more information about Bethany, see:"  http://bethanyhamilton.com/ and http://bethanyhamilton.com/about/bethanys-blog/