The Surfer – Nicolas Cage plays a lost soul descending into madness, chasing a pointless dream with a heavy price tag (UK and Irish cinemas from Friday 9 May)

The Surfer – a never-named divorcing man with a teenage son – returns to the scene of his youth, planning to buy his childhood home on a clifftop overlooking a surfing beach in Western Australia. This quest seems to be the only positive thing in his life, a humiliating notion that conjures up a whole range of possible problems. And that’s before he encounters the toxic masculinity of a local surfing gang who aggressively protect their beach from outsiders.

Set in the week leading up to Christmas, The Surfer a sunny antipodean affair, with zero festive cheer. A clean-shaven Nicolas Cage descends into fever dream insanity as he stubbornly refuses to cave in to the demands from the local hoods. Their evil leader, Scally (played by Julian McMahon), is wrapped up in a less than subtle red ‘dryrobe’, orchestrating rituals based on water and fire and demanding that his fervent disciples suffer to be part of his malevolent club.

The Surfer loses his dignity, his mind, his vehicle, his wallet (a mere symbol of his larger emasculation by financial institutions), and ultimately even his values and morals are on the line. Other than Nicolas Cage’s very committed performance, there’s nothing enjoyable about this catastrophe film – written by Thomas Martin and directed by Lorcan Finnegan – other than Radek Ladczuk’s lush cinematography (enhanced with wildlife close-ups and drone shots looking down at waves), all backed by François Tétaz’s sparkly soundtrack. It’s an act of anguish to watch the torment play out over 100 minutes. While the twice-daily tide may clean the sand, it cannot wipe away the blood that’s been spilt on the beach.

Hardly any women appear on screen (other than a helpful photographer played by Miranda Tapsell). This is all about men behaving badly. Bullying with more than a hint of historic criminal acts and police collusion. Topped with animistic behaviour and initiation ceremonies. The Surfer’s interactions with a beach bum who lives in the corner of a car park ultimately illustrates to what lengths the rich may go to increase their material possessions.

The Surfer runs in cinemas including Queen’s Film Theatre from Friday 9 until Thursday 15 May.

 

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