Surf's Up is a 2007 film made in a time when penguin films were basically oversaturating the box office thanks to Happy Feet and even the Penguins Of Madagascar. Thankfully, it did well, as it got some good reviews and even scored two Annie Awards. Ten years later, a DTV sequel is made, and it is not good.
One problem, as some reviews pointed out, is that the second film actually retcons some of the first film. Cody is no longer inspired by Big Z, he was inspired by the Hang 5, a group of extreme surfers that are modeled after the WWE athletes who voices them. That's right, the World Wrestling Entertainment, the wrestling federation that basically emerged victorious in the Monday Night Wars, has made another animated film to market to kids, and fresh off its crossovers with Scooby-Doo and The Flintstones.
Basically, the plot is the High 5 visits Pengu, where Cody Maverick has opened a surf school, and soon, he, Chicken Joe, Tank Evans, and Lila Aliikai join them on a trip to Slaughter Island where they will ride The Trench as Mr. McMahon's final ride before retirement.
While three of the actors of the first film return to reprise their role, sadly, it does not save this film. There are some tasteless scenes, including Mr. McMahon, an otter, thinking about drinking a fish's milk from its utter, which is disgusting. Also, there is not much surfing in this film. You think with a movie called Surf's Up, which has cartoon penguins in a surfing contest, they'd basically do the same for this, but no.
In the end, all this movie ends up being is nothing more than the typical cash grabs that DTV sequels usually turn out, mainly meant to get kids to bug their parents to get it for them. Sony and WWE Films has become a tag team that has ruined the memory of what was a great film with a horrible DTV sequel. I recommend watching the first film and treating this garbage as non-canon.
One problem, as some reviews pointed out, is that the second film actually retcons some of the first film. Cody is no longer inspired by Big Z, he was inspired by the Hang 5, a group of extreme surfers that are modeled after the WWE athletes who voices them. That's right, the World Wrestling Entertainment, the wrestling federation that basically emerged victorious in the Monday Night Wars, has made another animated film to market to kids, and fresh off its crossovers with Scooby-Doo and The Flintstones.
Basically, the plot is the High 5 visits Pengu, where Cody Maverick has opened a surf school, and soon, he, Chicken Joe, Tank Evans, and Lila Aliikai join them on a trip to Slaughter Island where they will ride The Trench as Mr. McMahon's final ride before retirement.
While three of the actors of the first film return to reprise their role, sadly, it does not save this film. There are some tasteless scenes, including Mr. McMahon, an otter, thinking about drinking a fish's milk from its utter, which is disgusting. Also, there is not much surfing in this film. You think with a movie called Surf's Up, which has cartoon penguins in a surfing contest, they'd basically do the same for this, but no.
In the end, all this movie ends up being is nothing more than the typical cash grabs that DTV sequels usually turn out, mainly meant to get kids to bug their parents to get it for them. Sony and WWE Films has become a tag team that has ruined the memory of what was a great film with a horrible DTV sequel. I recommend watching the first film and treating this garbage as non-canon.