Soul Surfer begins with footage of Bethany Hamilton as a child, doing what children who live by the beach do, playing in the water. Years later, the ocean would prove to be her second home, as she became one of the top amateur surfers in the country, poised to become one of the youngest professionals on the circuit. Then, at the age of 13, a sudden shark attack left her nearly dead and without an arm. Even more devastating was the potential end of her surfing career, her true life's calling. But it didn't stop her even for a moment. Leaning heavily on her family's tight knit bonds and their deep Christian faith, Bethany would come back to thrive in the sport she loved.
Bethany's story is no secret. After the attack she became an instant media celebrity, making appearances on Oprah and The Today Show just to name a few. That doesn't make telling her story any less treacherous. AnnaSophia Robb(Bridge to Terabithia
) embodies Bethany with a wealth of spirit of toughness. Her love for the water is infectious, brightening up when her trusty surf board is by her side or under her feet. To see the real life Bethany Hamilton is to feel her natural charisma, Robb personifies that quite well. She looks like she just walked off the cover of Surf Girl Magazine. Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt are Bethany's sagacious surfer parents, Tom and Cheri. They instill in Bethany and the rest of their children an unbreakable bond with God that is put to the test in the aftermath of the attack. Not only is she tested, but the entire family learn to deal with their new reality. Tom and Cheri have very different ideas of what path Bethany should take, and the friction causes rifts. The tension all feels very real and honest. Bethany's story is already dramatic enough that to try and exaggerate for the benefit of a film would just be overkill. The screenplay by director Sean McNamara(Raise Your Voice) and a handful of others keeps the details light. The same goes for the characterization of the family's Christian values. It's never exploited or shied away from.
On the other hand, even though the film is free from overblown theatrics, there are times when the story feels conflict deprived. She has a beef with a fellow surfer, a jealous caricature always dressed in a black swimsuit( of course). Bethany's relationship with her best friend, Alana Blanchard(Lorraine Nicholson) has few twists. Carrie Underwood gives a mostly underwhelming performance as a "mentor" of sorts. The gorgeous, crisp blue waters of Hawaii make for delicious eye candy. You'll never grow tired of how beautiful the cinematography is. Blue Crush
might've been more inventive when it comes to shooting the actual surfing moments, but overall in terms of showing the everyday majesty of the islands, Soul Surfer has it beat. 
