extreme-sports rebels turned deadly - an entertaining abstract action cautionary tale

Rating: 9/10 (7 January 2016)

So many terrible reviews! Why such negativity? I've seen this film 9 times and counting. It's so beautiful. It's cinematic poetry! Point Break is a cautionary tale because the eco-warriors rebellion only leads to destruction of others and self. It's the paradox of humankind - good and wicked all in one. Please watch with an open mind!
Also, I find the extreme-sports-nature sequences breathtaking and beautiful and full of high energy action. There are also some inspiring ideals along the way: "the break point, the point where fear becomes master and you the slave..."
I understand Core's approach and Kurt Wimmer's screen-writing logic: a story of friendship with a crazy philosophical twist and rebellion turned into criminal. The natural wonders are fantastic! Huge surf waves, Alps, and Angel Falls.
Yes I'm biased... I'm from Venezuela, and I think Edgard Ramirez did a spectacular job with his character and Angel Falls are magnificent! Luke Bracey as Johnny Utah is heartfelt and charismatic. Roach, Chowder, Grommet, Pappas, and Samsara were great too. All straightforward and minimal dialogue.
Did you know that the climbing of Auyantepui was real? The line and bolts were digitized out, but it was and experience of a lifetime for these climbers. Chris Sharma, Peter Croft, and Dany Andrada were the stunt doubles. The behind-the-scenes video is astounding!
One big mistake? To have marketed this movie as a remake of Point Break 1991: it's inspired by it but another story. And yes, there are problems with the plot and character development, but that's because the focus is on the visual story more than dialogue. Another major problem is that the writing and the dialogue lines are too abstract and metaphoric and ambiguous. It's not clear at times what Bodhi means or what Johnny Utah wants. I think I got it and I enjoyed the film, but I can see how it can be confusing to audiences. Teresa Palmer's lines too are full of philosophical ideas that sound abstract as well.
In this version, Bodhi is a protégé of Osaki, a fictionalized eco-warrior with the idea of saving Earth by performing 8 ordeals (this is the fiction). But Osaki was killed by a whaling ship when he was "giving back"... Later, Bodhi follows Osaki's steps, but he has taken the wrong path. Bohdi wants to accomplish his 8-ordeals to become one with the Earth and give back through criminal/sabotage acts. However, there's good in Bodhi, for he saves Utah's life for some unknown compassionate reason(??). Perhaps Osaki saved Bodhi's life once just like in Utah's situation? It would've been great to see the setup story for Bodhi as well. Yet, Bodhi is determined and he doesn't care he is killing people and destroying assets when he "gives back to Earth."
Without the crime, these guys would be extreme-sports crusaders for mother Earth's wonders: which would be a whole different story - perhaps I'll write a new Point Break screenplay inspired by this version of Point Break (I'm a screen writing student).
Then we have Johnny Utah, a former extreme-sports turned FBI agent, but we don't learn why he specifically joins the FBI. The film would have benefited from additional minutes to set up the characters better and explore their deeper emotional motives. That's what's lacking. Utah goes undercover to find out why these extreme-athletes are committing crimes, only to get too involved to be able to stop them: part of Utah relishes in the chaos and he enters into a conflict with himself. Utah however, is the perfect agent to pursue the extreme-sports criminals. But his longing for the sport and his gratitude to Bodhi are stronger than his FBI mission. And worse yet for the mission: Utah has a soft-heart and Bodhi knows that. Utah owes him his life. Utah is in a great dilemma - apprehend and kill the very person that saved his life?
In the end, the power of gratitude and kindness prevails in Utah. And he gets back his passion for life. And the bad guys find their fate...
Enjoy. Best wishes.