Watch The Ride For Free

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

Though arguably a "time travel" film, The Ride is actually much more. In the plot, a hot shot modern surfer, David, competing in an international surf competition, experiences a wipe-out. The wipe-out inexplicably transports David back to 1911 Hawaii. There he meets the young Duke Kahanamoku, played perfectly by the charismatic Sean Kaawa. The young Duke has yet to achieve international fame from participation in the Olympic games. He is a surfer and craftsman who exposes the brash David to Hawaiian ways. The real star of the film is the uniquely Hawaiian "Aloha Spirit" which is central in the lives of the people David encounters. That spirit shines brightly in "Lehua", played by the radiant Mary Paalani, as a young woman who also introduces David to Island ways. The Ride's real charm is in the portrayal of Hawaii and its people at a time which preceded extensive commercial growth and development. The film provides a glimpse of a less complicated past, which is indeed worth "The Ride".

The film made me fall in love with Hawaii all over again even though I don't live there anymore. The hawaii-ness (the green-blue ocean, the white sandy beaches, etc...) of the movie was gorgeous. Also, the dude who played Duke was perfect. There wasn't an angry bone in his body and he always had a lot of aloha and was always smiling. This is how I remember Hawaii. This was what was good about this movie.On the other hand, the dude who played the hotshot surfer (Scot Davis) going back in time was probably the worst cringe-inducing acting that I could remember seeing in a long time. How embarrassing watching this guy's false range of anger, displacement, to sincerity and sorrow. I mean this is the thread of the movie for chrissakes. Everything he expressed on his face was false. The acting was terrible. The guy should take some acting classes or practice his lines in the mirror. He absolutely destroyed the watch-ability of this movie. Wow, that is very brutal of me, but I have to say it. Also, for someone who surfs, you can tell right away when he is paddling that he was not a surfer. Bruddah, keep your knees and ankles together and not shaped like a V on your board and don't rock back and forth. It should be more fluid.This flick would've been better off as a straight story about Duke Kahanamoku and not left him as a supporting character and dropped the lead actor and dropped the convoluted time travel element of the story altogether and made it a straight story about the Duke. Now that would've been great. Sean Kaawa carried the scenes he was in, in this movie and would've easily carried a whole movie about the Duke on his back. As a matter of fact, this whole movie should've been about Duke, Blackie, and Caps - about three beach boys growing up in beginning-of the-20th-century Waikiki and how he turned surfing onto the world. At least those three guys injected much needed humor. Now that would've been a great flick. Maybe in the sequel.Also, someone should rotate that Duke statue in Waikiki cuz he would never turn his back on the ocean.k den cuz

I saw this movie in Honolulu over the summer. The first half hour is sooo bad the movie has to spend the rest of the time making up for it. Out of focus shots (how did they even MAKE the final cut?), and horrible overacting distract the viewers attention. BUT, then comes a more thoughtful approach to the real story, which is lovely to look at and sweet to watch. I found myself slowly but surely not resenting the acting so much. Or maybe the acting (or editing) was getting better! As the story unfolded in Hawaiian days of yore, I found myself (accidentally) caring about the characters, and marveling at the Hawaiian history and beauty. The surf scenes on the old boards are priceless!!!!! The Duke character is beautiful. Someone sign that boy up. And the lead white guy settled into his role nicely and by the end, made me cry. The female lead is acted well, and her story line is interesting. Bottom line? I've recommended this movie to all my friends.

This is a simple romantic story about a young spoiled athlete, David, learning lifes lessons and coming of age. The story revolves around the surfing legend Duke K. prior to his fame and how Duke and a young woman change David's priorities.The acting by the local artists was excellent and they carried the movie. David's character was very weak but the story carried me beyond his limitations. This was a low budget movie but not in the same category as the God's Must Be Crazy. But it is a good beginning. I will be happy to share this movie with my family and I am looking forward to it.