Point Break was the film that defined the 90’s and even to this day its hailed as a timeless classic.
No film in Hollywood can become an overnight success and sensation by accident, it takes a miracle for a film such as Point Break to be successful, financially, critically and most importantly click with audiences still to this day, after 30 years of its release.
Point Break in the action genre stood out not just because of its premise but because of its focus on its characters, giving the two leads incredibly fascinating dynamics. The meat of the film is at its most intense when the two clash. This film is deep and rich in action cinema and will provoke emotion for any audience member who is up for the experience.
Point Break went the extra mile in the action genre by creating and writing compelling characters with plenty of meat to get any audience member invested and that’s the USP and appeal of the film and why it stood out in the action genre.
Point Break’s Bodhi had a lot of depth and substance, his character really comes alive as the story progresses, providing us with action scenes that give us more bang for our buck.
The director is Kathryn Bigelow, who would later direct 2010’s best film, The Hurt Locker, a film made with great respect for its audience, brought a great deal of intensity and punch to the film as that is the only way to produce a film like this, you need that bravery and faith that your characters and themes will land and just go for it.
Most action films serve a simplistic service in an hour and 30 mins, afterward you don’t remember the characters but you may remember the action, Point break beautifully gets the best of both worlds, combining an unpredictably original plot with characters that are impeccably memorable even for a dramatic film regardless of the term action genre, with shoot outs in banks, car chases, well shot foot chases, jumping out of airplanes, surfing huge waves and hot dogs, never forget about the hot dog scene, you just gotta love Gary Busey.
In the pre-production process, the film seems to combines two different stars, one who is more relatable and upcoming in Keanu Reeves and the other, more experienced in Patrick Swayze, therefore there is an audience appeal for both and this shows on screen.
Point Break exists to take you on a cinematic journey like no other, to transport you to an action fueled ride that you may be able to experience in real life or not considering your status and health. The film is big in scale and size with its ideas and execution, featuring big action scenes, especially towards the end where the film escalates in narrative tension, mainly consisting of the rivalry between the two leads and Keanu’s love interest.
Its all a rocky combination for Johnny Utah and I think it’s just too much for him to cope with and quite frankly no one would be able to cope with the damage brought on his life, and seeing how hard he has to pick himself up in the film was entertaining to watch because he is a character that we root for, but also audiences root for Patrick Swayze, giving off great contrast.
In particular, the rugby scene is one of the films standout scenes for developing character. The sport symbolizes the competitiveness between the two and how physical they can get. This doesn’t compare to the last scene, where we have the two jumping out of the plane. It’s action, but its character drama at its heart and soul.
Keanu Reeves has a very likeable screen presence, he may not be an oscar actor but he isn’t supposed to be at this point. His likeability, charm, and intensity is what keeps you interested in his character.
The director, Kathryn Bigelow is one of hollywood’s best directors and she saw something really special with this project, the idea of blending two worlds together, including this care free surfing world where there are’nt really any consequences to that of a world of bank robbing and FBI investigation.
The thematic and visual contrast is blended together very intelligently, an interesting way to execute to what on paper is a straight forward popcorn action film, yet the film has a lot to offer. You may find yourself in awe of the surfing scenes, where you can go into full relaxation as you watch the beautiful waves swoosh by the camera to jumping out a plane.
This is helped by James Cameron who wrote the screenplay, who has a great eye for storytelling in the action genre, coming of the mega successful First Blood Part 2 and then only a year later with Terminator 2, proving again his talents.
Point Break is magnificently cinematic, with action scenes that feel real and big, surpassing all straight to DVD action flicks which seem to make up the genre’s market now a days, but its that central duo that makes the action count for something and that’s the real difference with Point Break.
By the time the film finishes, we also get a neat character arc from both characters, again just delivering a little more substance than a typical action flick, who end up in a deep seeded conflict, closing of the values they both stand and live by. Its intense and if you take away the action label, its real character drama on screen with two actors that are really going for it physically and mentally in the stormy weather, adding to the overall epicness of the picture. In that sense, the film is riddled with themes of toxic masculinity and what it means to be a man and the values that you live by that might break you in the long run. It is worth mentioning the remake in 2015, which felt like a sports advertising feature, which most audiences can agree with failed to impress.
Even to this day, Point Break is one of the very few action films where it has it all: drama, set pieces, comedy, intense performances, romance, 90’s fluff and yet at the same time, the film can be enjoyed even when you are not taking it seriously. It works for those who want to laugh at it and for those who want to watch an action film that has real stakes and embraces that tension. Not many action films nowadays has that flexible range of creativity, it’s just a lot of fun and a wild ride.
You can buy the film here.
You can catch Point Break on Amazon Prime for free.
Author Bio
Sam is a content writer. He loves all elements connected with film and writes with passion, always. You can find him on Linkedin, where you will be able to read more articles. When he is not writing, you can find him practicing football.
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