The Best Surf Movies

Ranker Film
Updated June 23, 2023 7.5K votes 1.4K voters 172.1K views
Over 1.4K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Surf Movies
Voting Rules
Vote up your favorite films about surfers and surfing and get ready to catch some waves.

Looking for a list of the best surf movies, including documentaries about surfing, narrative surf films, and beach party movies? Then you're in the right spot. Dedicated surf fans will gravitate towards the documentaries and action movies on the list while beach party films, popular in the 60s, are entirely fictional and geared more towards a general audience. Whether one long-boards or short-boards, there's a surf movie for everyone. The films on this list aren't for kooks (well-- most of them aren't). Enjoy!

Use this surfing movies list to remember your favorites or learn about new titles in the genre that you may have never heard of. Want to know which of these movies is the best surf movie of all time? You get to help decide by voting up your favorite surf films. Be sure to check back as new, good surfing movies are added to the list once they've been released.

Most divisive: The Endless Summer II
Ranked by
  • The Endless Summer
    1

    The Endless Summer

    Bruce Brown, Miki Dora, Robert August
    401 votes
    • Released: 1966
    • Directed by: Bruce Brown
    Documentary filmmaker Bruce Brown, himself a competition-level surfer, follows surfers Michael Hynson and Robert August on an around-the-world surfing adventure. With Brown's wry, sardonic narration and a twangy, guitar-driven instrumental soundtrack by The Sandals playing over the silent footage, Mike and Rob leave their California home to visit Hawaii, Australia, South Africa and other secluded surfing spots in a search for the surfer's holy grail that Brown dubs "The Perfect Wave."

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  • Big Wednesday
    2

    Big Wednesday

    Jan-Michael Vincent, William Katt, Gary Busey
    241 votes
    • Released: 1978
    • Directed by: John Milius
    Three 1960s California surfers (Jan-Michael Vincent, William Katt, Gary Busey) fool around, drift apart and reunite years later to ride epic waves.

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  • Chasing Mavericks
    3

    Chasing Mavericks

    Gerard Butler, Jonny Weston, Elisabeth Shue
    468 votes
    • Released: 2012
    • Directed by: Curtis Hanson, Michael Apted
    When 15-year-old surfing phenomenon Jay Moriarty (Jonny Weston) discovers that the mythic Mavericks surf break, one of the biggest waves on Earth, actually exists near his California home, he becomes determined to conquer it. Jay enlists the aid of local surfing legend Frosty Hesson (Gerard Butler) to train him to ride the Mavericks and live to tell about it. As Jay and Frosty carry on their quest to achieve the impossible, they develop a unique friendship that transforms both their lives.

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  • Point Break
    4

    Point Break

    Patrick Swayze, Keanu Reeves, Gary Busey
    494 votes
    • Released: 1991
    • Directed by: Kathryn Bigelow
    In Point Break, adrenaline-charged action meets the thrilling world of crime. Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves), a young FBI agent, infiltrates a cunning team of thrill-seeking elite athletes led by the charismatic Bodhi (Patrick Swayze). The athletes are suspected of carrying out unprecedented corporate heists under the veil of extreme sports. As Utah ventures deeper into Bodhi's lifestyle, his own loyalties are tested. This electrifying blend of action and crime, directed by Kathryn Bigelow, keeps viewers on the edge with its stunning stunts and high-stakes drama.

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  • Soul Surfer
    5

    Soul Surfer

    AnnaSophia Robb, Helen Hunt, Dennis Quaid
    475 votes
    • Released: 2011
    • Directed by: Sean McNamara
    Soul Surfer is a biographical sports drama that follows the journey of Bethany Hamilton (AnnaSophia Robb), a young, ambitious surfer. After losing her arm in a shark attack, she battles against all odds to return to competitive surfing. The movie also features Helen Hunt and Dennis Quaid as her supportive parents. Directed by Sean McNamara, Soul Surfer is an inspiring tale of resilience and determination, showcasing how one's spirit can overcome physical limitations. It gracefully blends elements of real-life events with the thrilling world of professional surfing. This movie, while not winning major awards, won hearts worldwide with its compelling narrative.

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  • Lords of Dogtown
    6

    Lords of Dogtown

    Emile Hirsch, Victor Rasuk, John Robinson
    251 votes
    • Released: 2005
    • Directed by: Catherine Hardwicke
    A drought in 1970s Southern California has an unexpected side effect: as people empty their swimming pools, a group of teen surfers from the Dogtown area of Venice Beach move in with skateboards, and a new sport is born. Based on a true story, this film follows "Z-Boys" skate team members Stacy Peralta (John Robinson), Tony Alva (Victor Rasuk) and Jay Adams (Emile Hirsch), plus manager Skip Engblom (Heath Ledger), as their fearless "pool surfing" leads to fame, fortune -- and misfortune.

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