Surf's Up
Columbia Pictures | Release Date: June 8, 2007 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
64
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 26 Critic Reviews
Positive:
23
Mixed:
2
Negative:
1
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
83
Entertainment WeeklyLisa Schwarzbaum
An animated family movie about penguins -- in the wake of "March of the Happy Feet," they're the Angelina Jolie of animals, both cute and admired everywhere. Plus, it's about surfing. Read full review
83
Baltimore SunChris Kaltenbach
Best of all is Jeff Bridges as the voice of Geek, a laid-back philosopher-penguin who becomes Cody's low-key guru, mentoring him in the ways of the wave. Read full review
75
Charlotte ObserverLawrence Toppman
Has its own peculiar, loose-knit kind of charm. Read full review
75
TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonagh
A cut above the noisy, pop-culture joke-larded norm, and it's much more than a "Happy Feet" knockoff. Read full review
75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Liam Lacey
Surf's Up is that rarity in a children's movie, a comedy that's actually exciting. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChroniclePeter Hartlaub
The entertaining new film from Sony Pictures Animation is a nice surprise, and the rare mainstream American kid film. Read full review
75
PremierePaul Semel
Up will still make you feel like you've caught a big wave. Read full review
75
Boston GlobeMichelle Kung
The most colorful of the penguin 'toons to date, both figuratively and literally. Read full review
75
Philadelphia InquirerCarrie Rickey
Not only are LaBeouf and Bridges terrific, but Jon Heder is hilarious as surfing fowl Chicken Joe. And Zooey Deschanel is saucy fun as penguin lifeguard Lani. Read full review
75
Portland OregonianM. E. Russell
What makes Surf's Up stand out is its look and texture. Read full review
75
ReelViewsJames Berardinelli
If you have to see one penguin movie, this is it. Read full review
70
New York Magazine (Vulture)David Edelstein
Don't worry, parents, only you--and not your 5-year-old--will get that the chicken's stoned out of his gourd. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterKirk Honeycutt
A cheerful and frequently amusing bit of nonsense, which certainly will provoke children into giggles. The film does not measure up to "March of the Penguins" or "Happy Feet," both Oscar-winning efforts. Nor is it trying to. Read full review
70
VarietyPeter Debruge
Every bit as entertaining as the early Christopher Guest efforts. Read full review
70
Village VoiceElla Taylor
If you have to see another penguin blockbuster, you could do worse than this loose-limbed charmer. Read full review
70
Washington PostAnn Hornaday
It's cool but not too cool, and cute but not too cute. A neat trick considering its overexposed avian cast. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesKevin Crust
A clever, delightfully rendered summer diversion. Read full review
67
The A.V. ClubTasha Robinson
Mostly, it just stands out in a crowded field of tacky also-rans by being a reasonably acceptable, more or less non-obnoxious way to spend an hour and a half. Read full review
67
Seattle Post-IntelligencerSean Axmaker
The film's greatest triumph, at least on a technical level, is the amazing texture of the water, which has never looked so dramatic or convincing in an animated film. Read full review
63
Chicago TribuneMichael Phillips
Where Surf's Up falls down is in its central relationships. (A few more jokes wouldn't have hurt either). Read full review
63
USA TodayClaudia Puig
First they marched, then they tap-danced. Now they ride the waves on souped-up boards. It really doesn't matter what stunts they try to pull off: Who can resist an animated mockumentary in the style of "This Is Spinal Tap" starring the black-and-white big birds of the moment? Read full review
63
New York PostKyle Smith
Doesn't do enough with a righteous premise. Read full review
63
New York Daily NewsJack Mathews
The voice performances are great, particularly those from LaBeouf and Bridges, who's in a "Big Lebowski" mood. But a moratorium on penguin movies may be in order. Read full review
50
The New York TimesJeannette Catsoulis
Has a friendly, blue-collar vibe (Cody is an ex-fish-sorter from the Shiverpool, Antarctica) and some sly, low-key humor. Nevertheless, a moratorium on penguins might be called for, despite the inevitable anthropomorphic void. Read full review
40
Austin ChronicleMarrit Ingman
There's nothing terribly wrong with Surf's Up, except maybe the part where one character calls another a "dirty trash can full of poop." But the movie isn't terribly robust, either. Read full review
30
Chicago ReaderJ.R. Jones
The novelty wears off almost immediately, leaving this a real chore to watch; there's something bizarre about low-budget spontaneity being replicated in such a labor-intensive medium. Read full review
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