Surf's Up 2: WaveMania
Detailed parental analysis
Surf's Up 2 is a family animated comedy with a light and upbeat tone, driven by cheeky humour and infectious sporting energy. The plot follows Cody, a young penguin surfer, who becomes intoxicated by celebrity when he comes into contact with wrestling stars, risking the loss of his friends and true values. The film is primarily aimed at children from 6-7 years old, with enough action and humour to hold the attention of younger viewers without attempting to appeal to teenage or adult audiences.
Underlying Values
The narrative explicitly constructs a tension between the temptation of individual celebrity and the value of friendship and teamwork. Cody undergoes a classic arc: fame temporarily corrupts him, then a collective ordeal brings him back to what matters. The message is clear and repeated, sometimes at the expense of subtlety, but it offers a solid basis for discussion with a child about what it means to succeed together rather than shine alone. The character of Tank, initially intimidating, also follows a trajectory of transformation towards respect for others, which reinforces the message without making it excessively preachy.
Violence
The film delivers sustained physical action: spectacular falls, wipeouts on giant waves, jagged rocks, a storm with lightning and thunder, and a scene where a character narrowly avoids a lake of molten lava. One sequence shows a character struck by lightning and disintegrated in a comedic manner, without lasting consequence. Characters find themselves unconscious or in distress, but no serious injuries or deaths are shown realistically. The whole remains in the register of cartoonish action comedy, without gore or violence that would cause anxiety for a child of 6 years and older, although more sensitive children around 4-5 years old might be startled by certain storm or lava sequences.
Language
The humour includes some mockery and mild insult names such as 'dork' or 'failure', in line with PG classification (Parental Guidance, the American equivalent of general audiences with mild reservations). These phrases remain in the schoolyard register and do not constitute crude language as such, but they merit being flagged for parents who wish to avoid this type of vocabulary with younger children.
Sex and Nudity
One scene involves an adult character (Vince McMahon) treating a fish with a straw, presented in a suggestive and absurd manner. The reference is sufficiently coded to go over children's heads, but it may give pause to an attentive parent. There is otherwise no nudity or sexual content in the film.
Strengths
The film has no particular artistic pretension and presents itself as a family entertainment product without great narrative ambition. Its main strength is the clarity of its moral arc: children understand without effort what the narrative offers them, making it a simple and effective pedagogical tool for addressing the question of social pressure and the need for recognition. The energy of the surfing sequences and the physical humour work well for a young audience, even if the film falls well short of the first instalment in terms of originality and emotional depth.
Age recommendation and discussion points
The film is suitable from 6 years old without major reservations, and can be offered to slightly younger children (4-5 years old) with an adult present for the storm or lava sequences. Two angles of discussion are worth pursuing after viewing: ask the child why Cody allows himself to be swept away by celebrity and what he feels when he realises what he has lost, then explore together what it means to be a 'good guy' in his view, beyond winning or being admired.
Synopsis
Cody, Chicken Joe and Lani are back in their most epic adventure yet! The most radical surfing dream team, The Hang Five puts Cody and his friends to the test and teaches them the meaning of teamwork as they journey to the most legendary surfing spot on the planet.
About this title
- Format
- Feature film
- Year
- 2017
- Runtime
- 1h 24m
- Countries
- Canada, United States of America
- Original language
- EN
- Directed by
- Henry Yu
- Main cast
- Jeremy Shada, Jon Heder, Melissa Sturm, John Cena, Mark Calaway, Paul Levesque, Vince McMahon, Saraya Bevis, Diedrich Bader, Michael Coulthard
- Studios
- Sony Pictures Animation, WWE Studios, Rainmaker Entertainment
Content barometer
- Violence2/5Moderate
- Fear2/5A few scenes
- Sexuality1/5Allusions
- Language1/5Mild
- Narrative complexity1/5Accessible
- Adult themes0/5None
Watch-outs
- Bullying
- Mockery
Values conveyed
- Friendship
- Perseverance
- teamwork
- humility