A sun-soaked melodrama that is at its best when riding the waves
If Chris Hemsworth ever decided to hang up his cape and hammer and move on from the MCU, a decent contender for the next Thor could be Joe Davidson, the lead actor of this sun-soaked crime drama. With his long blonde hair and chiselled physique, he’s not too dissimilar in looks to the Norse God of Thunder.
That being said, Davidson isn’t as famous an actor as Hemsworth but after a recent role in Anyone But You and acting credits in Mako Mermaids and Troppo, it might not be too long before he’s going toe-to-toe with some of the bigger leading men in Hollywood.
In Sons of Summer, a follow-up to 1977’s Summer City (which starred a young Mel Gibson) and 1988’s Breaking Loose: Summer City II, Davidson stars as a young man named Sean who is dealing with the loss of his father who was murdered 30 years previously. On the anniversary of his death, Sean gets together with his friends Clay (Jonathan Weir), Jack (Matoa Boosie), and Kane (Matthew McDonald), the other “sons of summer” whose parents were buddies with his pa.
In celebration of the lives of their parents, the four men take to the waters on their surfboards. The ocean scenes are very impressive with some great shots of Sean and co riding on and within the waves. If Sons of Summer devoted all of its running time to scenes of surfing, it would have made for a thrilling, if narratively slight movie.
However, a lot of the film is set on dry land, with scenes of bonding between Sean and his friends and domestic goings-on between Sean and his girlfriend Katie (Isabel Lucas). There’s also a subplot about Sean getting involved in a drug robbery that goes wrong. This puts his life and his relationship with Katie (Isabel Lucas) in jeopardy as a brutal enforcer named Frank (Temuera Morrison) wants to get his hands on the drugs that Sean now has in his possession.
The scenes of Frank pursuing Sean are the least interesting part of the story as we don’t know much about this thuggish bruiser or the creep that he is working for. Morrison acquits himself well in the role but there’s not enough flesh on the bones of the character to give the Once Were Warriors star more to get his teeth into.
Director Clive Fleury, who returns to movie-making 25 years after his last feature, the Burt Reynolds-starring Big City Blues, doesn’t seem overly concerned with the thriller aspects of Sons of Summer anyway. He frequently switches from the darker aspects of the plot to more upbeat scenes of Sean gelling with his friends, complete with a bouncy music score. This tonal shift is quite jarring at times, as Frank’s nastiness contrasts sharply with the sunny beachside scenes that wouldn’t look out of place in a Frankie Avalon summer movie of the 1950s.
There’s a lot to like about Sons of Summer, with its attractive cast, cheerful soundtrack, and thrilling surfing action. At times, you’ll have a good time watching the film. However, it does fall down in a few key areas. For one thing, the direction is uninspired when on dry land, lacking the creative flair that is apparent during the water-based scenes. The acting isn’t always on point either, as the line delivery from some of the supporting actors is incredibly weak.
These negatives undermine what could have been a solid film about four young men trying to live up to the legacy of their fathers. With an improved script, tighter direction, and more rehearsal time for some of the actors, Sons of Summer could have been a lot better. As it is, the movie is an okay drama that rides high when it’s on the waves but which far too often sinks under the weight of its various issues.
Read More: Sons of Summer Ending Explained
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Verdict - 5.5/10
5.5/10