Those of us like me who think surfers are basically boorish self centered fools are likely to have that impression confirmed by this movie, which is nonetheless surprisingly compelling because John Milius is so into it. He gives the story the epic treatment - big widescreen shots, a healthy budget (probably not necessary - for instance there's all these extras and a big set in the induction sequence but were they needed?), gorgeous score, a long running time, the story spans a decade - and treats it with such seriousness, I went with it.
The three leads aren't that interesting. All blonde, which doesn't help - there's Jan Michael Vincent playing a role close to the real Vincent, a talented surfer who is always drunk; crazy Gary Busey; serious William Katt. My attention kept going to Katt's character because he actually seemed to have a brain.
The film might have been better focusing on these three - their friendship and dynamics and hope and dreams. But for some reason Milius' attention drifts to side characters - not say the women which would have been okay (there are women in this film but they basically just hang around the guys), but other surfers, other friends, who are blonde too. I had trouble following who was who. One of them died but I couldn't remember him - I assume he was a blonde.
They surf, chase girls in a gropy way, one of them has a kid, they drink and punch each other and other surfers, they get drafted, they go to Mexico, they holler during a wedding ceremony and at the movies. They basically act like f*ckwits a lot of the time - they don't even seem particularly committed to surfing. None of them go into any competitions, say, or make surf boards (a support character does). There's not even a Milius surrogate who wants to go into the movies.
But that's the type of people Milius wanted to make a movie about and he commits. It's great to look at, I loved the Arthurian touches like passing on the surf board, there's some funny scenes like the induction sequence. And because it spans ten years and deals with people who failed so often the movie is touching and moving.
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