The Surfer Review: This Exploitation Thriller Understands How to Utilize Nicolas Cage Perfectly.

      Note: This review was initially published as part of our coverage of Cannes 2024. The Surfer will hit theaters on May 2.

      The Surfer is an exploitation film that ramps up the tension, featuring a mild-mannered protagonist who faces off against a group that even Andrew Tate might consider a bit over-the-top. Set in South Australia in the fictional Luna Bay, it's the kind of location where if the heat doesn't get you, something else likely will. The water is a stunning turquoise blue, yet the beaches appear desolate. An unnamed man (Nicolas Cage) arrives in this harsh environment hoping simply to scout a cliffside property and catch a wave, but the locals have different intentions: “Don’t live here, don’t surf here,” one warns, extending hospitality only as far as a switchblade.

      Lorcan Finnegan, the director of this engaging thriller, is an Irish filmmaker who shows a keen understanding of the material at hand. A highlight of The Surfer is how attuned it is to Cage’s persona, playing on audience expectations and subverting those notions. Importantly, Finnegan realizes that Cage's explosive moments are best appreciated when built up gradually—kudos to him for exercising that restraint. For a while, The Surfer unfolds at a devilishly slow pace, with the protagonist being prodded until he inevitably reaches his breaking point, as is typical for Cage's characters. When that moment finally arrives in Finnegan’s film, akin to Mandy, the resulting scene is almost hallucinatory.

      The narrative draws from a rich history of antagonistic outsiders: it isn’t quite a remake of The Wicker Man (Nic’s Version) nor exactly Dead Man's Shoes, although the Cage character similarly returns to his roots. The main antagonist is Scally (Julian McMahon), a figure of toxic masculinity who sports a hooded beach towel like a cult leader's robe and has a group of followers eager to execute his commands. The array of micro and macro aggressions includes denying our hero access to drinking water and forcing him to question his identity. While waiting in a car park (the main setting for much of the action) for a call from his estate agent, he loses his shoes, phone, car, and dignity but remains too stubborn to let the bullies force him from what he still considers home. Ultimately, after reaching a breaking point, Cage’s antihero resolves to fight back.

      Since his 2016 film Without Name, Finnegan has steadily established his reputation with a series of genre films—followed by Vivarium (starring Jesse Eisenberg) and Nocebo—that each utilized location and atmosphere to illustrate a character’s psychological decline. The Surfer continues this trend, but its vibrant colors and playful tone suggest a shift in direction. With its stylized orange and teal palette reminiscent of Asteroid City, the imagery serves to evoke the oppressive heat while bestowing a whimsical ‘70s aesthetic on the production. The charming, wavy opening credits are presented in a bold grindhouse-style font. Echoing surf rock and psychedelia, François Tétaz’s score draws inspiration from a similar era. Despite its modern themes and context, every element cohesively complements one another.

      The Surfer made a splash at a well-timed midnight premiere, where an enthusiastic Cannes audience reacted with cheers and laughter to every lingering close-up, outrageous gesture, and precisely delivered line from Cage. This film is aware of its purpose and executes it exceptional well.

      The Surfer premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.