Teringer An Exercise In Nonsense

Kailansorac Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.

FuzzyTagz If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

ThedevilChoose When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

three_am I was surprised at how this movie engaged me. I was deeply skeptical about this film since I feel that Hollywood has consistently been inaccurate in its portrayal of Hawaii, its values and its people. I got over being infuriated and gave this movie a chance. I liked it. The entire theme of surfing and aloha was natural and although the acting was wooden by the lead haole guy in the first half of the story, I cared about what was going to happen. When Duke Kahanamoku's character was introduced I understood why he was not the lead actor/main focus of the story. He was a true Hawaiian that practiced cultural values that saved, befriended and had much to teach the arrogant modern day surfer. Sean Kaawa did a great job playing the Duke.I was impressed with the special effects – the look of Waikiki and Manoa and thought the camera was clever (I couldn't 100% be sure of which part of the island the scenes were taking place). The simplicity of the landscape, a Waikiki uncrowded; as a Hawaiian this made me yearn for a Hawaii I wish I knew and perhaps that will always be the power of a time travel story. Hawaii back in 1911 is an awesome idea and I was glad to see it done so well. I was moved by that one camera shot when David is against the old broken train wagon. The surfers that populated this story were put to good use. Those ocean shots! Those waves! I appreciated the subtle way Hawaiian values on surfing, life and aloha were woven into the movie. I want to see more movies like this! Kudos to the film makers and everyone involved in bringing this story life! Mahalo.

taroB The film made me fall in love with Hawaii all over again even though I don't live there anymore. The hawaii-ness (the green-blue ocean, the white sandy beaches, etc...) of the movie was gorgeous. Also, the dude who played Duke was perfect. There wasn't an angry bone in his body and he always had a lot of aloha and was always smiling. This is how I remember Hawaii. This was what was good about this movie.On the other hand, the dude who played the hotshot surfer (Scot Davis) going back in time was probably the worst cringe-inducing acting that I could remember seeing in a long time. How embarrassing watching this guy's false range of anger, displacement, to sincerity and sorrow. I mean this is the thread of the movie for chrissakes. Everything he expressed on his face was false. The acting was terrible. The guy should take some acting classes or practice his lines in the mirror. He absolutely destroyed the watch-ability of this movie. Wow, that is very brutal of me, but I have to say it. Also, for someone who surfs, you can tell right away when he is paddling that he was not a surfer. Bruddah, keep your knees and ankles together and not shaped like a V on your board and don't rock back and forth. It should be more fluid.This flick would've been better off as a straight story about Duke Kahanamoku and not left him as a supporting character and dropped the lead actor and dropped the convoluted time travel element of the story altogether and made it a straight story about the Duke. Now that would've been great. Sean Kaawa carried the scenes he was in, in this movie and would've easily carried a whole movie about the Duke on his back. As a matter of fact, this whole movie should've been about Duke, Blackie, and Caps - about three beach boys growing up in beginning-of the-20th-century Waikiki and how he turned surfing onto the world. At least those three guys injected much needed humor. Now that would've been a great flick. Maybe in the sequel.Also, someone should rotate that Duke statue in Waikiki cuz he would never turn his back on the ocean.k den cuz

leahjo My husband and I saw "The Ride" at the Hawaii International Film Festival at Restaurant Row in Honolulu. We were lucky enough to meet many of the cast members and discuss the film before and after the showing. The local actors were wonderful, especially Duke and Lehua (love her necklace!). In contrast, David's acting was very over-done in the beginning, but improved as the film went on. Beautiful views showing the simplicity of Waikiki at the turn of the century were magical. The costumes and music were exceptional. The surfing scenes were great - the use of wooden long boards added to the era of the picture. We enjoyed this glimpse of what life in Hawaii was like in Duke Kahanamoku's time. "The Ride" is a great escape back to Hawaii.

Anubis013 This film was awful. It was so stereotypical I'm surprised a major Hollywood studio didn't put this out. This film is exactly what is wrong with Hawai'i and that's basically non-Kanaka Maoli commodifying, packaging, and selling off something that isn't theirs to sell. In this case the already commodified surfing and Olympic champion Native Hawaiian Duke Kahanamoku is reduced to yet another tour guide for a haole boy in search of strings-free local love and a lesson on the soul. The Native actors who portrayed Duke, Blackie, Caps, and Lehua did a fine job with the horrible script they had to work with. The lead who portrayed David is a terrible actor and it will be our misfortune to see him in anyother film.Miserable experience. I had such high hopes for this film and it turned out to be a such a major disappointment. This is one of those films that is constantly praised simply because of what it's about....the beloved Duke Kahanamoku...instead of how well (in this case how miserably) is was done.Skip this one, it plays out like a commericial for Hawai'i and we have enough tourists already.