Red Surf (1989)

Very Cool!!!

People are voting emotionally.

A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

James Remar is a former professional surfer who now parties hard by day & by night works with his crew as a drug runner, smuggling cocaine for a dangerous drug lord named Calavera. Remar's burning-the-candle-at-both-ends lifestyle is putting a wedge between him & his pregnant girlfriend Rebecca, but this pales in comparison to the large drug deal that Remar is working on. When one of his friends is arrested & becomes an informant for the police, Calavera decides to terminate the gang with extreme prejudice.Before he became a superstar in the 1990s, George Clooney was working in cheap thrillers like Red Surf. This film also had onboard Gene Simmons as the crew's resident security 'consultant' & small-time actor & future Albert Pyun associate Vincent Klyn as a heavy.Red Surf is an unexceptional film to put it bluntly. It has a concept that is decidedly average & has become a sort of plot cliché for the majority of the 1990s & beyond. The action scenes are the film's highlight but lack a certain excitement element that makes such scenes pale in comparison to the stuff other action cheapies managed to make out of. The two action scenes that do appear in the film – a chase on the water between Clooney's crew's jet skis & a thug on a speedboat & the climactic shootout that has some glaring goofs on display (one character's weapon changes twice within seconds & another's weapon appears without a magazine yet still fires) – are lacking in entertainment value.Having said that, George Clooney rules the show with his trademark intensity & unpredictable manner that he would perfect by the time of FROM DUSK TILL DAWN. It's a shame that he is killed off before the end of the film. Gene Simmons kicks butt with style & Rick Najera makes a decidedly dangerous drug lord.

This was the 'b' side of some other film I bought, so it sat around my collection for a bit. It's actually quite good! Clooney's a surfer who sets up coke deals with the local drug baron, picking up the merchandise on his jet ski. Him and all his mates get wasted every night on booze, coke, crack, and anything else they can get their hands on. His girlfriend however is about to change all that when she reveals she's pregnant. Will Clooney clean up his act or will he go all out for one last score?Clooney's great in this one, portraying a guy who doesn't quite want to face up to reality. He sure cusses some too! The supporting cast are quite good (including Gene Simmons!) and the film gets surprisingly violent at times. Good stuff!

I remember the day I first stumbled upon Red Surf in a pawn shop bargain bin. It looked like a modern day George Clooney film so I decided to give it a shot but surprisingly, it turned out to be some of his very early work. To me, this was a very pleasant surprise indeed. Red Surf has a very cool 70's drive-in movie feel to it and this can be a refreshing change of pace from the mainstream. Okay, Lets get down to the content of this film..........George Clooney and his friends are jet ski drug runners for a kingpin (Gene Simmons no doubt). DeDe Phifer plays his girlfriend and wants him to settle down in order to have a family. The party scenes are hardcore and the rival gang violence is over the top as well so if that kind of stuff turns you off then you may want to head for the Disney section instead. The plot moves at a moderate pace and the acting is well above par for this type of film. I like it mainly because it has a very realistic feel to it and reminds me a lot of the late 70's/early 80's (if you like nostalgia...... this film is oozing with it). Availability is good and its not very expensive so pick up a copy next time you see one and come back to post your thoughts. Its my favorite Clooney film and definitely a mainstay in my collection because the story holds up well for repeat viewings. Clay

This picture was released straight to video/cable...I can not, for the life of me figure out why! Many may describe this as a guilty pleasure, but I would not. Boos' direction flows in this tale of suspense and intrigue. Shot purposely on what seems to be video, the film can be described as a surfers dream gone pipeline wipe-out nightmare. Is it a heist gone to blunder? I think not! Its a soul searching revenge piece with a twist of Hitchcockian suspense!Clooney gives one of his most memorable performances...Doug Savant proves he is better than his Melrose Place performances would show...DeeDee Pfeifer is wonderful as usual...Phillip McKeon shows he will be something special.Look for Gene Simmons in a key role.*** out of ****