Nicolas Cage stars in Lorcan Finnegan’s The Surfer as an unnamed surfer who descends into insanity when he’s denied access to his favourite childhood beach.
Director: Lorcan Finnegan
Genre: Thriller
Run Time: 99′
BFI London Film Festival Screening: October 9-13, 2024
U.S. Release Date: TBA
U.K. Release Date: TBA
The Surfer is sinister from the very beginning. A nameless man, known as The Surfer (Nicolas Cage), intends to rekindle his relationship with his son (Finn Little). His plan is to take his son surfing in Lunar Bay, the beach where he grew up many moons ago. Upon arrival, they’re greeted by locals, a group of 10 or so men, who won’t let them near the water.
At first it’s a friendly “no”, but turns more aggressive as The Surfer continues to insist that it’s an open beach so anyone can surf in the waters of Lunar Bay. The Surfer takes his son back to the car, but holds a grudge, and the next day returns, demanding to surf.
Cage’s roles over the years have been hit and miss. Thankfully for the Cage fans, The Surfer is him at his absolute best. Cage appears to be more like himself, more conventional at least compared to his petrifying but brilliant rendition of the titular serial killer in Longlegs. The Surfer becomes increasingly more impatient and deranged as the runtime of The Surfer goes on, leading Cage to act intense and fanatical. Cage delivers one of the best leading performances of the year, which is on par to his incredible acting in Pig and Mandy.
Nocebo and Vivarium director Lorcan Finnegan has again created a thrilling piece of art. It’s a film, just like Finnegan’s previous two features, that will sneak into your nightmares every once in a while, making it a perfect Halloween watch. Whilst The Surfer isn’t strictly a horror, it follows a character who is on a downward spiral, and we are on that journey with him till the very end. Sometimes the real horror is watching someone go mad, especially when you can’t save them from afar.
Writer Thomas Martin, a longtime friend of Finnegan’s, is Irish, like Finnegan, but has always been drawn towards Australia and the culture surrounding surfing communities. Whilst the dialogue in The Surfer sometimes seems over the top and written for dramatic effect, it’s based on a fight Martin saw happen on the beach in Sydney a few years ago. Every so often you are tipped over the edge and react to the situation at hand before you can think. The male characters in The Surfer have thought it all through, though. They want to be aggressive and never let anyone but the locals on the beach.
It’s a visually stunning feature, too. The inviting azure waves are calling you in, the sandy dunes are enticing you on to make a sandcastle. Babadook and The Nightingale cinematographer Radek Ładczuk has collaborated previously with Finnegan on Nocebo, but this time, he has captured so much more beauty in Western Australia.
The Surfer is Vivarium meets Mother!. It’s full of gaslighting, territorial men who will forever be stuck in their mindless ways. It’s an ode to the Australian New Wave, this time with a psychological twist. Who really is The Surfer and why is surfing on Lunar Bay that important to him that he’d risk it all? It’s a must see for any Cage fans, and anyone who likes nail-biting tension in every scene.
The Surfer will be screened at the BFI London Film Festival on October 9-13, 2024. Read our list of 30 movies to watch at the 2024 BFI London Film Festival!
