I originally wanted to see this at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) in early 2025. I bought the tickets, but never took the ride: I got sick. Did I miss much? Can’t say that I did, since it’s now available to stream on HBO. Luna Bay, Australia. Nicolas Cage plays a surfer who wants to take his teenage son surfing at the beach where he grew up. But a group of local crazies won’t let him. Cage himself is a pretty crazy, cocky bastard, but you’ve still gotta love the guy. I know I do. As soon as these pricks start messing with him, you expect him to go apeshit. And he does, but the movie then takes a different, more psychological direction.The film deserves credit for not going down the clichéd revenge/survival route, but the story eventually becomes confusing, and for me it was not satisfying at all. Too bad. The cinematography and acting are excellent, but the screenplay was a major problem I couldn’t overlook.

The Surfer is now available on HBO.

The verdict: to stream or not to stream? Not to stream.