‘The Surfer’ 4K UHD Blu-Ray Review – Nicolas Cage Thrives In Psychedelic Exploration Of Toxic Masculinity

In Lorcan Finnegan’s surreal psychological thriller, a man (Nicolas Cage) returns to the idyllic beach of his childhood to surf with his son — only to be thwarted by the locals’ hardcore “don’t live here, don’t surf here” rule. Bitter but determined to surf his beach — and buy the house nearby, where he grew up — the man suffers tribulations of body and soul that push him to his limits. A meditation on punishment, temptation, and salvation, The Surfer burns deep.

For in-depth thoughts on The Surfer, please see my colleague Phil Walsh’s review from its original theatrical debut here.

For additional thoughts on The Surfer, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required: 

Video Quality

The Surfer arrives with a 2160p/Dolby Vision presentation in 2.39:1 on this 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc that represents the look of the film to perfection. The utilization of Dolby Vision is a huge benefit for this film as it displays an array of lush colors within the environment. Hues look more precise in this presentation with landscapes, the brilliant blue sky, and key light sources emanating off the screen with great power. This presentation flourishes with black levels that are deep and detailed with digital noise missing from the screen. None of the shadowy moments exhibit signs of crush. The brighter scenes during the day wow with intense clarity and a strong handling of highlights that show no indications of blooming. 

The 4K presentation provides a depth of field on the beach that cannot be executed as well with the accompanying Blu-Ray. This transfer reveals a favorable amount of detail in the subtle facets of the background and articles of clothing. Even the psychedelic moments are clear within the creative intent. Skin tones look notably consistent throughout and show a great amount of facial detail including stubble and bruises. The increase in detail in every lighting condition is a major benefit. This is an impressive 4K UHD presentation that represents the film quite well. 

Audio Quality

This disc comes armed with a fantastic Dolby Atmos presentation that transports you to this increasingly perilous beach. The sound design of this film is quite expressive, and the deployment of environmental sounds grounds you in the locale with an assured hand. The low end is engaged sporadically during the more raucous sequences and via some soundtrack choices. The track is immersive with sounds creeping through in a way that works well with the height channels. 

Sounds are accurately rendered with pinpoint directionality from the more bustling scenes to the cutting dialogue-driven moments. These exchanges are presented crisp and clear without ever being overpowered by any of the competing sonic elements. The score conjures the appropriate tone that complements the emotional state of the character. The mix here is well done with an exceptional engagement of all the channels, so those with a good system should be pleased. Optional English SDH and Spanish subtitles are provided. 

Special Features

• Audio Commentary: Director Lorcan Finnegan provides a commentary track in which he discusses his intentions for the film, working with Nicolas Cage, the shooting locations, the aesthetic choices, and more. 
• Through a Wave Darkly – The Making of The Surfer: An 18-minute piece that takes a look at our lead character, the psychedelic quality of the film, the themes, and more. 
• Theatrical Trailer (2:26)

Final Thoughts

The Surfer is a tense, darkly humorous saga that mostly works due to the commitment from Nicolas Cage. This psychedelic exploration of toxic masculinity may not be the movie that people want it to be at a glance, but the slow burn dread that comes from these confrontations really adds up to something impactful. If you have been tuned into what Cage has been doing in recent years, you should be prepared for a narrative that is quite a bit weirder than you might expect. For this, we will always love him. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray that sports a dazzling A/V presentation and some fine special features. Recommended 

The Surfer is currently available to purchase exclusively at Lionsgate Limited on 4K UHD Blu-ray. The film is also available everywhere on Blu-Ray. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Lionsgate Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.