This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

Refreshing! I'm a former cinematographer and I love the gorgeous visuals, especially the luscious water shots. The NW climate forces me to sublimate in water representations, so swim/surf scenes rank high. This film is better than a slick masterpiece because of the genuine love coloring each scene. I know the filmmakers had a blast making it. While some of the acting is not so transcendent, the film stands firmly rooted in it's innocence and natural beauty. The actor who portrays Duke, the antique Hawaiian surf legend, is fabulously natural, as are his "Beach Boy" buddies. The contemporary surf champ's "character arc" contains a great lesson for all kids. I heard about "The Ride" through Seattle's Hawaiian Radio and had a hard time finding it. Finally, Scarecrow Video manifested one and I savored it twice. Man, I cried like a baby! Not so much a response to manipulation as to the oceans of Aloha embodied within the vehicle. We can all use a reminder of what is truly relevant. Experiencing an alternative to the ultra hip, the spurting blood and the "duh" sex is great fun. Entertainment with a clever history lesson? I'm inspired to further explore Duke's life, as well as my own, in light of the few simple truths offered. The Hawaiian soundtrack is heaven on earth. With a limited production budget, Third Reef scored a major triumph with typical Hawaiian creativity and laid back excellence. Throw a few million bucks at 'em and watch miracles occur.

I purchased this DVD during last Christmas season while doing some gift shopping at Borders and never have had the right opportunity to watch it. This week, I was overseeing a friend's retail store and brought the DVD in to watch on the store's 32" plasma during slow periods and have not yet taken the DVD out! In fact it's playing now as I am posting this comment! Simply amazing! I read an earlier post regarding the over exaggeration of pidgin and 'olelo Hawai'i in movies that have recently come out from the islands, and must concur with that writer in that the language use in this film is superb.I was mildly amused by the use of so many Maui musicians and songs, but felt the music absolutely fit! I felt that the storyline was fantastic and truly touching. So much so, that I have actually been trying to research some of the historical components of this film. While some of the history remains case in point, I was a little dismayed to learn that the character of Lehua was fictitious, however, I am determined to learn more about the first Hawaiian woman hotelier! Awesome job to all involved!

Wow! I've only watched the movie twice but now that I have the DVD I'm sure I'll be watching it more often. I haven't seen a movie that best represented Hawaii until this one came out. It really makes me very proud of my Heritage and my Culture. Very moving and it instills the true meaning of Aloha from a locals point of view. It also shows us (the younger generation) how much more there really is to our culture rather than making the money. Of course we need to make the money especially living in Hawaii, but not to lose the respect for others and ourselves. Not a lot of us live with patience or true aloha, with the life style we grow up with now days it's hard...influences come from the wrong things and sometimes just being good ain't worth it no more. It's hard and most people do what it takes to get by while others forget how it felt to be struggling before they had anything. But not everybody is like that...there's still some out there that live the aloha spirit to the heart every single day. I pray that one day we can all be like that...but till then the movie will continue to be a remembrance of the aloha spirit. Job well done...Aloha...Cruzah16

A must see for anyone who has lived in the islands for any length of time. The first thing you notice is the scenery, and the lack of buildings. And it's believable. You say to yourself " maybe this IS how is was in 1912?". This is not a surf movie. This is a movie about Hawaii and the Aloha spirit. It's so much more than a surf movie. It captures how Duke and his family and how they treated others. I saw this film with a friend, and the first thing I said was " I feel like I saw something really special" and she agreed. If you love Hawaii, you"ll love this film.I can't wait for it to come out on DVD. I plan to give them as Christmas gifts. I wish this film got more marketing and distribution here in Hawaii. I think it could become a local favorite if it was played in the regular theaters.