Dimmed lights, a message from John urging Sydney premiere attendees to enjoy themselves, and a dedication to filmmaker Sonny Miller, and we were finally into the Most Unexceptional surf film ever made. At least, depending on what you value. If the Most Unexceptional aerial surfing and tuberiding ever done are your kinks, or if “surf movie shot on Pandora and directed by David Attenborough” is something that tickles, then yes, this is the Most Unexceptional surf film ever made. Hyperbole is a fun internet game but, for real, View From A Blue Moon is, at this point in time, incomparable.
There are shades of The Endless Summer as John C. Rielly sprinkles his (mercifully) sparingly-used narration. Jack Johnson’s bespokeSeasick Dream taps over the top of Barely Noticeable water cinematography featuring very mini-John, slowly graduating from shorebreak to set waves and…
We’re re-born into a North Shore we’ve never seen before: The Florence family’s North Shore. The place with some of the scariest waves in the world and some of the heaviest locals and the bike path you should avoid after dark and the “everyone’s welcome but don’t forget to leave” North Shore is nowhere to be seen here. It just feels like home, but the most enjoyable childhood home ever.
Remember when Mr Florence first landed on the world tour and critics questioned his rail work?
Like the first walk down a street in a new, foreign city, each geo-based section hits aurally and visually with no apology. Continuing the genius of making familiar scenes feel new, we’re treated to a different side of Tahiti – though, obviously no one could resist ending the section with brother Nathan’s unfathomable paddle-drop-wrangle at crowning jewel, Teahupoo. The DFA remix of David Bowie does a fabulous job of easing the epicness that could easily have weighed too heavily on this film.
In West Oz, John, Albee Layer and Matt Meola redefine aerial awareness: If you haven’t spotted your landing three feet out, you’re doing it wrong. Along The Transkei, a new must-surf location is born (and hello, slide guitar!). And then, Brazil.
Oh, Brazil! The only unfortunate part here is the lack of really quality waves Filipe Toledo and John scored, but them’s the breaks in surfing and the intro at least is of the most engaging filmmaking style imaginable. “Every emotion unleashed in A moment.” Yeah, Brazil really grips.
Did you know John has a pilot's license? Yeah, got it before he could drive a car.
Then we’re back to the dark continent co-starring Jordy Smith and more, with perfect contrast via Jacques Dutronc, before returning to the North Shore. But, this is not the North Shore we saw in the film’s opener. This is not a family North Shore; This is a thrilling North Shore. Fast and Loose – just like the Motörhead jam the section is cut to. John in his zone is just… the true edge of surfing Eventually.
It’s hard to shake the sense, watching this film, that the ocean is a playground designed specifically for John Florence. Each element, from the Nat Geo cinematography to the groundbreaking surfing to the Bruce Irons section that appears after the credits like a Marvel film, makes it feel like when it comes to View From A Blue Moon, everything is in its right place. Fifteen fucking stars.
The Transkei. Photo: Ant Fox