Another movie you need to purchase or rent is Soul Surfer. The movie is based on a true story about Bethany Hamilton, a young surfer that was attacked by a shark. Bethany Hamilton is a true inspiration and a great example of a determined spirit. She grew up in Hawaii with her mom, dad, and 2 brothers. They are a surfer family, and a Christian family. When Bethany was 13, she was attacked by a 14ft. tiger shark that bit off her left arm. She lost 60% of her blood and had to have several surgeries. During her recovery, she maintained a positive attitude, and returned to the water after only one month. A little over a year after her attack, she won her 1st National Surfing Title.

I have seen other Christian movies in the past, which I really enjoyed. However, while their messages were great, they didn’t boast many big name actors, and you could tell they didn’t have a big production budget. This movie is different. It has great quality – the surfing scenes are fantastic. Additionally, it has some pretty big stars: Bethany is played by Anna Sophia Robb; her parents are played by Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt; a close family friend is played by Kevin Sorbo; and her youth leader is played by Carrie Underwood.

The movie helps communicate that “you can do all things through Him who gives you strength”. The movie is rated PG, mainly because of the intense accident sequence (shark attack). This might be upsetting for some younger viewers, but my family gives this movie “Three Thumbs Up”!

If you would like a small preview of the film, you can click on the video below.