"Point Break" is what "Crusty Demons" ought to be. Unfortunately, it is not what "Point Break" ought to be.
In fairness, the extreme sports scenes are pretty awesome. The cinematography is crystal-clear and the exotic locations are picturesque. As an extreme sports video, it excels.
As an action movie or caper, it is less impressive.
The greatest problem is that none of the characters are particularly likable or charismatic. Personally, I think one major problem is the horrendous tattoos that most of the central characters sport over much of their bodies. Having worked as a photographer and cinematographer, I am no fan of tattoos. To me, they suggest low-class, criminal background, lack of self-respect and many other negative character traits. There are some tattoos that are inoffensive, even impressive – but not in this movie. When I see these tattoos, my first reaction is that I have never been that drunk or that stupid or uncultured.
In the original, Bodhi's crew had goals and motives that made sense. Here, we have a group of athletes with improbable skills, all of whom share an exotic philosophy and a disdain for profit. The surf Nazi red herrings are gone, as is Utah's need to acquire skills in order to join the group. The whole Utah-Bodhi bromance seems less credible and less compelling. The antagonists are cast as eco-warriors; however, somehow it doesn't make them sympathetic. They are financed by an eccentric multi-billionaire, which seems more contrived than organic.
At one point, the FBI had very strict standards for its agents. They were expected to dress and conduct themselves in conformance with relatively conservative standards. The notion that the FBI would accept a long-haired, extensively tattooed candidate stretches credulity to the limits, as does much of the rest of the film. However, as a direct-to-video extreme sports video, it would be quite impressive.
In fairness, the extreme sports scenes are pretty awesome. The cinematography is crystal-clear and the exotic locations are picturesque. As an extreme sports video, it excels.
As an action movie or caper, it is less impressive.
The greatest problem is that none of the characters are particularly likable or charismatic. Personally, I think one major problem is the horrendous tattoos that most of the central characters sport over much of their bodies. Having worked as a photographer and cinematographer, I am no fan of tattoos. To me, they suggest low-class, criminal background, lack of self-respect and many other negative character traits. There are some tattoos that are inoffensive, even impressive – but not in this movie. When I see these tattoos, my first reaction is that I have never been that drunk or that stupid or uncultured.
In the original, Bodhi's crew had goals and motives that made sense. Here, we have a group of athletes with improbable skills, all of whom share an exotic philosophy and a disdain for profit. The surf Nazi red herrings are gone, as is Utah's need to acquire skills in order to join the group. The whole Utah-Bodhi bromance seems less credible and less compelling. The antagonists are cast as eco-warriors; however, somehow it doesn't make them sympathetic. They are financed by an eccentric multi-billionaire, which seems more contrived than organic.
At one point, the FBI had very strict standards for its agents. They were expected to dress and conduct themselves in conformance with relatively conservative standards. The notion that the FBI would accept a long-haired, extensively tattooed candidate stretches credulity to the limits, as does much of the rest of the film. However, as a direct-to-video extreme sports video, it would be quite impressive.