Storm Surfers: The Movie-3D (Blu-ray) (2012)

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General		Extras
Category	Surfing	Featurette-10 "How to" Webisodes Featurette-10 Profile Webisodes Theatrical Trailer More…-ATOM Study Guide
Rating
Year Of Production	2012
Running Time	95:00
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	1,2,3,4,5,6	Directed By	Justin McMillan Christopher Nelius
Studio Distributor	Madman Entertainment	Starring	Tom Carroll Ross Clark-Jones Ben Matson
Case	Standard Blu-ray
RPI	?	Music	Richard Tognetti Michael Yezerski

Video		Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame	None	English DTS HD Master Audio 5.1 English Linear PCM 48/24 2.0
Widescreen Aspect Ratio	1.78:1
16x9 Enhancement
Video Format	1080p
Original Aspect Ratio	1.78:1	Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures	No
Subtitles	English for the Hearing Impaired	Smoking	No
		Annoying Product Placement	No
		Action In or After Credits	No

     Storm Surfers: The Movie 3D brings together champion surfers and general crazy men, Tom Carroll and Ross Clarke-Jones with a simple mission - to travel around Australia and ride mountains of death all in the name of good film and the adrenaline rush. Of course, they couldn't do it alone and surf forecaster Ben Matson is the third stooge amongst this merry band consulting synoptic charts and Internet forecasting in order to predict the moment when the weather is perfect for big wave conditions. That isn't always an easy task. Sometimes the surfers go out expecting and receiving big waves but strong breezes make the conditions to difficult for surfing.

     Storm Surfers is a success the two reasons. Firstly, in Carroll and Clarke- Jones you have two of Australia's most engaging sporting personalities. Clarke-Jones is manic in his devotion to big wave surfing and Carroll, who has turned 50 and has three daughters, is only just behind. One of the themes of this film is the difficulty that Carroll has getting his killer instinct back after a big fall off a wave the previous year and his realisation that he has responsibilities to his children.

     The second reason the film works so well is that it features stunning photography throughout. Having initially paused to question why the film was released in 3D it now seems like a no-brainer. So majestic are the mighty waves when seen in 3D and so much more frightening, 3D seems like the only way to really view this type of movie - the only way to get right in there with the surfers and feel some of what they feel.

     Although the film is essentially one surfing jaunt after another it is entertaining throughout and even non-surfers (count me amongst that group) will find this an enjoyable film.

Video

     Storm Surfers was shot on a combination of high-definition digital 3D sources including the GoPro 3D. It comes to Blu-ray in the original 1.78:1 aspect ratio.

     The image quality is stunning throughout. It is crisp and clear at all times. The colours are bright and vibrant.

     My standard reviewing equipment is not capable of displaying 3D. I watched this film on a Samsung 55 inch LED LCD screen with a Samsung 3D Blu-ray player. The 3D effect is stunning. It is possible to get a real feeling of the dangers of the giant swell and those who get seasick may find themselves a little queasy at the immense swell. Aside from the surfing moments the film also contains a fair bit of interview footage and it is only in these moments that the fast movement of hands causes some motion artefacts to appear. It is a small concern.

     The flesh tones are accurate throughout.

    There are subtitles in English for the hearing impaired.

Video Ratings Summary

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Shadow Detail
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Audio

     Storm Surfers features two English language soundtracks. One is a DTS HD Master Audio track in 5.1 surround and the other an English LPCM 2.0 track. Both actually do the job pretty well.

     The sound is clear throughout and dialogue is easy to understand. Toni Collette does a good job of adding the narration to let us know what is going on.

     Music is supplied by Richard Tognetti and Michael Yezerski and consists of suitably heart pumping sounds to accompany the visuals.

     The surrounds help convey the surf all around our plucky heroes and the sub-woofer gives even more meat to the heavy swell.

    There are no technical defects with the sound.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
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Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

     There are four special features included.

10 "How to" Webisodes

     Everything big wave is covered here in these short Webisodes from paddling into a wave, making a tow board to getting a big wave. No thanks - I'll just let the experts do it!

10 Profile Webisodes

     The extras predictably feature profiles on the stars of the show but interestingly they also look at other identities including safety officer Kobi Graham, fellow surfer Mark Mathews and female big wave surfer Maya Gabiera.

Theatrical Trailer

     The Trailer.

ATOM Study Guide

     Pop the Blu-ray in your compatible PC and enjoy further information about the guys and their quest.

    This is an All Region Blu-ray.

     Storm Surfers is an enjoyable romp with two Australian larrikins who keep us entertained whilst we all the while imagine what compels a person to want to hang off a 50 foot cliff above a reef in some probably shark infested location in freezing conditions. They love it!

     The Blu-ray is of excellent quality and the 3D is amazing. The extras are enjoyable.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall