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Cody Maverick, a young penguin with big dreams, travels to Pen Gu Island to compete in the prestigious Big Z Memorial Surf Off. He hopes to prove himself and earn the respect of the island's legendary surfers. Along the way, Cody encounters a washed-up former champion and experiences the challenges of pursuing his dream. He learns valuable lessons about friendship, perseverance, and discovering what truly matters in the world of competitive surfing.

Cody Maverick, a young penguin with big dreams, travels to Pen Gu Island to compete in the prestigious Big Z Memorial Surf Off. He hopes to prove himself and earn the respect of the island's legendary surfers. Along the way, Cody encounters a washed-up former champion and experiences the challenges of pursuing his dream. He learns valuable lessons about friendship, perseverance, and discovering what truly matters in the world of competitive surfing.

Does Surf's Up have end credit scenes?

Yes!

Surf's Up does have end credit scenes. Stay until the very end!

Meet the Full Cast and Actors of Surf's Up

Explore the complete cast of Surf's Up, including both lead and supporting actors. Learn who plays each character, discover their past roles and achievements, and find out what makes this ensemble cast stand out in the world of film and television.


Ratings and Reviews for Surf's Up

See how Surf's Up is rated across major platforms like IMDb, Metacritic, and TMDb. Compare audience scores and critic reviews to understand where Surf's Up stands among top-rated movies in its genre.


Metacritic

64

Metascore

7.3

User Score

Rotten Tomatoes
review

%

TOMATOMETER

review

0%

User Score

IMDb

6.7 /10

IMDb Rating

TMDB

64

%

User Score

Take the Ultimate Surf's Up Movie Quiz

Challenge your knowledge of Surf's Up with this fun and interactive movie quiz. Test yourself on key plot points, iconic characters, hidden details, and memorable moments to see how well you really know the film.


Surf's Up Quiz: Test your knowledge about the animated movie Surf's Up and its memorable characters and plot twists.

What animal is Cody Maverick?

Awards & Nominations for Surf's Up

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Discover all the awards and nominations received by Surf's Up, from Oscars to film festival honors. Learn how Surf's Up and its cast and crew have been recognized by critics and the industry alike.


80th Academy Awards 2008

Ash Brannon
Nomination

Animated Feature Film

Ash Brannon

35th Annual Annie Awards 2008

Nomination

Best Animated Feature

Full Plot Summary and Ending Explained for Surf's Up

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Read the complete plot summary of Surf's Up, including all major events, twists, and the full ending explained in detail. Explore key characters, themes, hidden meanings, and everything you need to understand the story from beginning to end.


A duo of unseen filmmakers, Ash Brannon and Chris Buck, venture into the quaint fishing village of Shiverpool, located in the stunning landscape of Antarctica, to chronicle the life of a teenage surfer named Cody Maverick (Shia LaBeouf). Cody is the sole surfer in his community and often faces derision from other penguins, including his older brother Glen (Brian Posehn), who constantly puts him down. Cody’s mother, Edna (Dana Belben), tends to be indifferent towards his surfing ambitions, often too engrossed in her own affairs to support him. She recognizes the challenges of Cody’s journey, considering he is much smaller than Glen and has grown up without a father, whose picture is a ghostly reminder, holding a fish just before being devoured by an orca.

Cody shares that his surfing enthusiasm ignited when the legendary surfer Big Z visited Shiverpool, gifting him a unique shell necklace. From that moment, Cody has aspired to match Big Z’s extraordinary surfing skills and often dreams of escaping the confines of Shiverpool. This aspiration takes a turn when a surfer scout sandpiper named Mikey (Mario Cantone) arrives in Shiverpool via a whale, scouting for aspiring professionals from all over. When Mikey requests a demonstration of Cody’s surfing skills, things don’t go as planned due to a lack of waves, prompting Mikey to leave in frustration.

Determined to showcase his talent, Cody pursues the whale and, with assistance from a laid-back chicken named Joe (Jon Heder), who is on a surfing expedition due to a lost bet, they forge a quick friendship. Pengu Island sets the stage for the 10th Annual Big Z Memorial Surfing Competition, where Cody and Joe interact with other surfers, including pro legends Rob Machado and Kelly Slater, while soaking in the vibrant local culture.

Their adventure becomes more engaging when a charming lifeguard named Lani (Zooey Deschanel) rushes past to rescue a young penguin named Arnold (Reed Buck) from a water crisis, stirring Cody’s affections. With some encouragement from Joe, Cody gathers the courage to approach Lani, and their connection blossoms just as the filmmakers start to portray the quirky mishaps occurring around them.

As Cody and Joe explore, they stumble upon a shrine dedicated to Big Z, his surfboard resting against a rock—a haunting tribute to a surfing legend who vanished a decade ago during a contest on the island. The legend states that Big Z paddled out into a ferocious swell and was never seen again, leaving nothing but shattered pieces of his board. Their serenity is soon disrupted by the presence of Tank ‘The Shredder’ Evans (Diedrich Bader), a nine-time champion who rudely assaults Z’s surfboard. When Cody intervenes, an argument ensues that grabs the attention of Reggie Belafonte (James Woods), the competition’s promoter, who proposes a one-on-one surfing duel between Cody and Tank to resolve the conflict.

The surfing showdown commences, but Cody suffers a wipeout, leading him to hit his head on a shallow rock. Fortunately, Lani manages to drag him to safety and revive him. However, when Cody starts to hallucinate, she seeks assistance from Geek (Jeff Bridges), who resides in a treehouse nearby. When he examines Cody, Geek inadvertently exacerbates the situation by introducing a strange method of treatment that leaves Cody mortified.

Lost in the chaos of Cody’s recovery, Reggie remains indifferent to Cody’s well-being, focusing solely on his business interests. Lani becomes motivated to help Cody recover, believing it’s essential for Geek not to be isolated. After a tough morning, Geek imparts some wisdom to Cody about finding his own path and encourages him to craft his surfboard, setting him on a journey of self-discovery and friendship.

As Cody spends time with Joe, they navigate through their common ground of not knowing their fathers, while Cody embarks on creating a surfboard that embodies Z’s teachings. Their quest leads to an exhilarating surfing experience and invaluable life lessons, pushing Cody to confront the pressures of competition and the true essence of surfing itself.

In an emotional climax, Cody overcomes his insecurities, accepting Z’s mentoring with open arms while they ride the waves together. Lani supports Cody through his surf competition, where he asserts himself against powerful adversaries, including Tank and Joe, revealing the heart of friendship and determination in a world that often seems overwhelming.

Ultimately, as the contest unfolds, Cody reckons with his past, retrieves his lost necklace, and reconciles his relationship with Z, leading to a fantastic finish where the community celebrates not just the victor of the contest but the revival of a treasured legacy. Cody addresses the filmmakers one last time, reflecting on his journey as he opts not to focus on accolades but on the experiences that brought him joy and connection.

Uncover the Details: Timeline, Characters, Themes, and Beyond!

Watch Trailers, Clips & Behind-the-Scenes for Surf's Up

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Watch official trailers, exclusive clips, cast interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage from Surf's Up. Dive deeper into the making of the film, its standout moments, and key production insights.


Surf's Up (2007) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers

Surf's Up - Surf Cam Documentary

Surf's Up - Storyboard to Surfboard

Surf's Up - Waves Featurette

Surf's Up - Voiceover Ensemble

Surf's Up - Surfing Documentary Scene (1/10) | Movieclips

Cody Maverick is our Comfort Character Inspiration (Scene)

Movie Themes and Keywords

Discover the central themes, ideas, and keywords that define the movie’s story, tone, and message. Analyze the film’s deeper meanings, genre influences, and recurring concepts.


anthropomorphic penguinsurfingpenguinmockumentaryanthropomorphic animalanthropomorphismtwo word titleanimalfirst partteenagerroostersea ottermale protagonistlove interestsingle parentuncle niece relationshipboyfriend girlfriend relationshipsquidwaterwavememorialseashell necklaceselfishnessbrother brother relationshipanimal that acts humantalking animalrival3d animationshorebirdfishrainsurfing contestsurfing competitiongiant wavesurfseaocean wavefriendanthropomorphic birdanthropomorphic chickenanthropomorphic roosteranthropomorphic otteranimal as human2000sfurryslimehouseshrekcoreoutdoor sportcg animationshark

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