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Blue Crush
MCA/Universal Pictures


8.0

based on 33 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 37 votes
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FILM:

MPAA RATING: PG-13 for sexual content, teen partying, language and a fight

Starring Kate Bosworth, Michelle Rodriguez, Matthew Davis, Sanoe Lake, and Mika Boorem

Life for Anne Marie (Bosworth) has been one long Pipe dream. She's about to make that dream a reality in the Pipe Masters surf competition -- that is if she can keep from drowning in her own fear. (Universal Pictures)

GENRE(S):	Romance
WRITTEN BY:	John Stockwell Lizzy Weiss (also story) Susan Orlean (magazine article Surf Girls of Maui)
DIRECTED BY:	John Stockwell
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: January 14, 2003 Video: January 14, 2003 Theatrical: August 16, 2002
RUNNING TIME:	103 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	USA

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Washington Post Michael O'Sullivan

Works on two levels. First, it's a pure celebration of riding the waves. -- Second, Blue Crush is a clear-eyed portrait of the unique kind of power that women possess, a power that shows us that victory doesn't always mean vanquishing someone else. Either way, it's thrilling.

Washington Post Ann Hornaday

A big, sexy, sun-splashed thrill ride, is what a summer movie ought to be: not totally mindless, but more interested in jangling your nerves than engaging your brain.

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

The final 20 minutes of Blue Crush can stand as one of the few highlights in a movie summer of mostly hollow action-carnival fireworks. The trick, for once, isn't that we're watching superhuman stunts; it's that we're watching deeply human stunts.

New York Post Jonathan Foreman

Surprisingly smart and satisfying.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Sean Axmaker

A summer movie that knows it's a summer movie. You don't go to this film for the story, but for the scenery: Bikini-clad girls riding waves, surf photography as beautiful as it is breathtaking, sun, surf, sand, even a little PG-13 romance.

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

I expected another mindless surfing movie. Blue Crush is anything but.

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Rick Groen

Frankly, with so much to feast my dazzled eyes upon, I barely noticed that the plot was missing in action. And that's because the action itself is so pure.

New York Daily News Jami Bernard

Fun and frivolous, packed wave to wave with gorgeous young creatures reveling in their physical prowess.

Philadelphia Inquirer Steven Rea

That's what Blue Crush is getting at: girls going for the gold in a sport that's traditionally been the domain of men.

Rolling Stone Peter Travers

Bosworth is a star in the making, but even she can't outshine the surfing footage, which is flat-out spectacular.

Slate David Edelstein

That's what these sequences feel like -- a sensual uproar. They almost make this small, unresolved little movie feel mythic.

LA Weekly Hazel-Dawn Dumpert

For the most part, the action, shot entirely on Hawaii's famed North Shore without blue screens or tanks, is awesome, all swirling turquoise tubes, thundering foam hammers and sleek, graceful riders.

The New York Times Dana Stevens

It's hard to resist being swept up in Blue Crush, not least because David Hennings's shimmery photography carries the breeze and spray of the island right into the theater. The movie is also the latest example of a subgenre that might be called feminexploitation.

Salon.com Charles Taylor

Offers the most intense visual experience I've had at the movies all year.

Austin Chronicle Kimberley Jones

The script also takes the occasional dip into hokeyness, but even that is buoyed by its ballsy leading ladies.

ReelViews James Berardinelli

Without the impressive photography and energetic action sequences, Blue Crush would have been a lot worse. But, if the filmmakers had invested in real characters instead of cardboard cut-outs, it would have been a lot better.

Miami Herald Connie Ogle

Don't forget the waves. They're the stars of this show, and Blue Crush smartly never lets you forget it.

Baltimore Sun Chris Kaltenbach

Blue Crush is such a blast to look at, it seems a shame to talk about its formulaic plot, cliched dialogue and absolute predictability.

Boston Globe Wesley Morris

Not the sanctioned wet T-shirt contest you might be anticipating. The Pacific is the hottest body here. And director John Stockwell handles the frivolous material with an integrity that I have to admit I found disappointing. The movie isn't nearly dumb enough to be much beach fun.

Variety Scott Foundas

All the trappings of an energetic, extreme-sports adventure, but ends up more of a creaky "Pretty Woman" retread, with the emphasis on self-empowering schmaltz and with the big-wave surfing that gives pic its title seemingly an afterthought.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Keith Phipps

Contains enough exciting surf scenes that it could almost get by on visceral thrills alone.

Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt

Skip the first hour or so, but grab a seat in time for the surfing contest that climaxes the picture, complete with mile-high waves and the most graceful ocean-gliding this side of "The Endless Summer."

Chicago Reader Bill Stamets

The plot is as skimpy as their bikinis.

Chicago Tribune Robert K. Elder

If you can simply get lost in the crushing splendor of the waves themselves, the script might not leave you so seasick.

San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle

Just one big wipeout.

TV Guide Steve Simels

The lead girls are easy on the eyes, and comic Faizon Love, who plays one of Matt's non-surfing, sumo-wrestler-size teammates, nearly steals the show when the girls teach him a few of their better moves.

Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan

Overcomplicates its plot and spends a lot of time floundering around in the shallow end.

Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman

When there's no dialogue, this film stays right in the pipeline. When characters open their mouths, it ends up in the tripeline.

Village Voice Dennis Lim

Director John Stockwell keeps the proceedings casual, and the film is admirably at ease with its dutifully trite plot and porn-worthy dialogue (most of which vanishes under the crash of a wave or the roar of a jet-ski anyway).

Portland Oregonian Kim Morgan

Blue Crush, which might appear exciting in an "Endless Summer"/"Where the Boys Are" kind of way, actually is really boring.

New Times (L.A.) Luke Y. Thompson

Unless you count "Lilo & Stitch," this is the first of several surfer-girl movies out of the gate, and it seems clear that in the rush to put it out there, a script was the last thing on Universal's mind.

Wall Street Journal Nancy deWolf Smith

Be warned: Although it was filmed on the North Shore of Hawaii's Oahu island, this is a surf movie, not a surfing movie. As for the empowered-girl premise -- well, the kids may not notice, but Blue Crush is about as progressive as a Virginia Slims commercial.

Film Threat Ron Wells

I'm sure that an interesting film could easily be made about girl surfers, this just ain't it.

The average user rating for this movie is 8.0 (out of 10) based on 37 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Jane gave it a10:
Freakin' awesome movie. Totally real in the way it includes real professional surfers. Totally love kate bosworth who does an awesome job in one of her first big films! The surfing scenes rock and itll make anyone want to ride some waves! Sweet summer flick!

Natalie S. gave it a 10:
I loved Blue Crush it was ace i love surfing but i dont no how to! It is really cool and it really shows you how scary it can be.... i could not stop laughing about the guy in the speedo and the actresses did it really good and the pipeline was amazing as well as all the other sufing shots... it is one of the best films i have seen and it really makes you want to surf.

Shay H. gave it a 9:
I liked the movie. i think the scenes were great, the fight sucked, but the scenes were great. its really funny, big fat black man in a speedo....i still have bad dreams.

Rachel D. gave it a 10:
This movie is great. I love surfing, and the fact that they had some of the world's best WOMEN surfers out ther like Rochelle Ballard and Kate Skarratt was fantastic. Women can dominate and that's what this movie is about.

Jo C. gave it a 1:
I luved blue crush, it's my fav cuz i totally love surfing. plus one of my favorite actresses are in it! ya'll gotta see it, it's great.

Lauren G. gave it a 10:
This was an awesome movie. I dont know how you guys can rate it lower than an 8 but I guess it is u'r opinion. Well w/e I am stating my opinion right now and I say that it was awesome. CAN'T WAIT TO SURF THIS SUMMER.

JO R. gave it a 10:
This is like my favorite movie!!! I think its fun, thrilling, and totally awesome! It teaches you to follow your dreams and never give up!

Blue Crush MCA/Universal Pictures

Blue Crush
MCA/Universal Pictures