What’s the Point?
“We’re gonna be meat waffles!” is simultaneously one of the best and worst lines in Hollywood history. When Bodhi screams it at Johnny Utah—they’re playing parachute chicken—the ultimate tortured bromance is fulfilled. Two become one. Swayze and Reeves descend to the core of dudedom together, leaving only a smear of testosterone behind.
For surfers, watching Point Break is a fun and cringe-inducing exercise. The wave sequences, cut together from LA-area breaks, are legendarily bad and so disjointed you just have to laugh. We know it’s impossible for a single set of waves to go from waist-high chop to glassy overhead beauties. When Bodhi finds the ultimate swell in Bells Beach, Australia, we get treated to the final Hollywood hoodwink: the footage was actually shot at Waimea Bay, with Hawaiian surfer Derek Doerner earning a cool 10 grand for the stunt wipeout. We suspend our disbelief because the movie is entertaining, the characters comically endearing. Down deep in the script is a surf soul we recognize and secretly connect with.
The original Point Break is so bad it’s good.
Which brings us to the new version about to hit 3D Imax screens on Christmas Day: Point Break 2 Extreme Awesome (I’m pretty sure it’s called that). Like most of you, I watched the trailer recently, curious to find out how much of a departure it is from the original. Yes, Bodhi and Johnny are back, albeit played as grittier and more worldly bros. The plot appears to be an afterthought, but it has shades of the Robinhood-esque principles of Point Break 1. And the surfing? Well, you only get one glimpse of it, sandwiched between dirtbikers soaring over canyons, base jumpers flying into caves, and snowboarders flailing through powder.
But the two second shot is more than worthy of a double take. Word is they got perfect Teahupo’o—Tahiti’s crown jewel of a reefbreak—for the surf sequences. It’s clear they had it tow-in big, many times overhead. As proof, Laurie Towner—Utah’s stunt double—busted his jaw that day. Seeing ‘Chopes in all its gargantuan glory on a 3D Imax screen might just be worth the price of admission.
So let’s be honest, we’re all going to see it, right? They had us at ‘Point Break Remake.’ As much as we rip on the original, it occupies a special place in our hearts. How many of us can say that, during our worst flat spells, we didn’t reach deep into our DVD drawers and linger on the mystical twin faces of Patrick and Keanu? And if you need further proof of why Point Break 2: Extreme Awesome should be required viewing, let me leave you with the trailer’s final sequence…
Yep, you’re damn right he falls backwards off that cliff. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.
See you at the cinema, shredders!