ASH Brannon and Chris Buck’s computer animated mockumentary waddles initially in the webbed footsteps of Creature Comforts, introducing its loveable, feathered protagonists in a series of hysterical to-camera interviews. A boom occasionally drops into shot and characters lose their train of thought as they squawk lyrical about the hardships of Antarctic life and the joys of surfing. The documentary film crew continues to follow the escapades of courageous Cody Maverick (LaBeouf), a Rockhopper penguin whose father died in the jaws of a killer whale. Misunderstood by the rest of his family, Cody seeks solace in surfing – a perilous pursuit in the icy wastes of Shiverpool. The youngster dreams of one-day riding the waves like his idol, Big Z, the most talented surfer of all time, who famously perished during a competition. He takes a step closer to fame and fortune when talent scout Mikey comes to Shiverpool and spirits Cody away to the sunnier climes of Pen Gu Island, the idyllic location of the prestigious Big Z Memorial Surf-Off. Cody is unperturbed by the odds stacked against him and enlists the help of slacker dude The Geek (Bridges) to help him win the contest in honour of his dear departed hero, and to impress beautiful lifeguard Lani (Deschanel). Verdict: Surf’s Up begs obvious comparisons with Happy Feet and in terms of the visuals, Brannon and Buck’s film boasts impressive water effects and some well-crafted set pieces. However, minute details, such as the way feathers move in the wind, is lacking, paling next to the most recent films of Pixar. The opening salvo, including faux newsreel footage of surfing in its heyday replete with scratches on the celluloid, boasts a generous smattering of belly laughs. But once the action glides away from Antarctica, the pace slackens and the narrative becomes more conventional, drawing on every cliched underdog story to propel Cody on his meteoric rise through the surfing ranks. LaBeouf wins our sympathy for Cody while Bridges channels the spirit of The Big Lebowski. Fun, but not earth-shattering. | 
