Point Break Movie Poster Image

Point Break

age 14+
(i)

 

"Point"-less remake -- and don't try this stuff at home!
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  • Review Date: December 30, 2015
  • Rated: PG-13
  • Genre: Action/Adventure
  • Release Year: 2015
  • Running Time: 113 minutes

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What parents need to know

Positive messages

Buried in the plot are ideas about protecting -- and respecting -- the Earth and giving back as much as (or more than) we take from it. But these ideas come from the movie's bad guy, and his message is entwined with the idea that people must risk their lives via dangerous ordeals to "honor" nature.

Positive role models

Ironically, the bad guy has the most morals -- he's concerned with protecting and saving the planet -- but he's also a bank robber and someone who doesn't seem particularly concerned with the well-being of his friends. The good guy is completely uninteresting. The characters perform extremely dangerous stunts/escapades that shouldn't be copied.

Violence

Frequent, extreme, death-defying events -- including motorcycle stunts, surfing, rock climbing, base jumping, skydiving, and snow boarding. Guns and shooting. Face and head-wounds; some blood shown. Characters die. Car chases, crashes, fights, explosions. Rock slide.

Sex

Kissing and brief sex scene; couple is shirtless (though nothing graphic is shown), and lying down together on a bed. Scantily clad women shown during party scenes. Brief sexual reference.

Language

Several uses of "s--t," plus "a--hole," "ass," "damn," "hell," "balls," "stupid." Middle-finger gestures.

Consumerism

Mentions of YouTube, visible logos for Monster energy drink, GoPro, and others. Apple iPhone shown.

Drinking, drugs, & smoking

Pot briefly shown. Characters occasionally smoke cigarettes. Characters hold alcoholic drinks at a party.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Point Break is a remake of the 1991 movie of the same name -- and, like most remakes, it's not worth much. Some teens, especially extreme sports nuts, may be interested (especially given that this version is rated PG-13, as opposed to the original's R), but its shelf life is guaranteed to be fairly short. Expect tons of dangerous stunts (none of which should be attempted by non-professionals), with characters getting injured -- bloody faces are shown -- and dying. There's also fighting, shooting, car chases/crashes, and explosions. Characters kiss and have a brief sex scene; they're clearly topless, but nothing sensitive is shown. Many bikini-clad women are shown dancing at parties. Joints are briefly shown, several characters hold drinks at parties (though they're not shown drinking), and several characters smoke regular cigarettes. Language includes "s--t," "bulls---t," and "a--hole."

What's the story?

Johnny Utah (Luke Bracey) is an extreme sports enthusiast -- until his best friend (Max Thieriot) dies during a stunt. Years later, Utah joins the FBI and learns about a group of extreme sports enthusiasts who use their skills to rob banks and then give the money away. Utah is sent to investigate, and he joins up with Bodhi (Edgar Ramirez), a man who's dedicated himself to completing the "Osaki 8": eight nearly impossible ordeals designed to honor the forces of nature. As Utah learns more about the spiritual aspect of Bodhi's quest -- and gets involved with the pretty Samsara (Teresa Palmer) -- it becomes increasingly difficult to complete his mission. Not to mention that he could lose his life.

Is it any good?

QUALITY

Like many remakes, this adventure yarn seems designed more like a soulless factory product, a calculated grab at some overseas profits, than anything that anyone actually wanted to be involved with. Based on Kathryn Bigelow's terrific 1991 movie, the updated POINT BREAK copies the basic idea but strips away most of the original's nuance and feeling; this one is unbendingly simple, with few tough decisions or emotional struggles.

Even with all the stunts -- photographed with an annoyingly busy, roving camera -- it feels like very little is actually at stake here. (It's pretty easy to predict when any of the characters is going to die.) There's no suspense; plus, the dialogue is heavy on plot exposition and blatantly obvious statements, and pop music is awkwardly relied upon. Ramirez can't match Patrick Swayze in the original; Bracey doesn't even come close to Keanu Reeves, and Palmer looks like she's turned off her brain, emphasizing her cleavage over her talent. "Point"-less, indeed.

Families can talk about...

  • Families can talk about Point Break's violence. What's the appeal of extreme sports? Does this movie make them look appealing or cool? How does this kind of violence compare to other types of media action violence? Which has the most impact, and why?

  • How is Bodhi trying to protect the Earth? Is his plan viable? What else can be done?

  • How does this remake compare to the original? Why do you think Hollywood continues to put out remakes?

  • How does the movie handle its sex scene? What effect does it have? Do you think it's necessary to the story?

Movie details

Theatrical release date:December 25, 2015
DVD release date:March 29, 2016
Cast:Luke Bracey, Edgar Ramirez, Teresa Palmer
Director:Ericson Core
Studio:Warner Bros.
Genre:Action/Adventure
Topics:Sports and martial arts
Run time:113 minutes
MPAA rating:PG-13
MPAA explanation:violence, thematic material involving perilous activity, some sexuality, language and drug material

This review of Point Break was written by

Jeffrey M. Anderson
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are conducted by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

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Teen, 13 years old Written byAstroPhysics January 11, 2016
age 12+

Cool stunts- bad plot

The only reason that I enjoyed this movie was because it was cool to see all of the stunts and action on the big screen at the movie theater. The plot is not good, and a lot of stuff is lacking in the main character's development. He refuses to go after the 'bad guys' one minute, and the next he's chasing them up a waterfall with no climbing harness or anything. It does not make you sympathize with the main character at all, even though you are supposed to. But I went to see the action and stunts, and that was pretty cool. They did snowboarding down these huge mountains and climbed (and then jumped off of) a giant waterfall. There are also cool motorcycle and surfing stunts. But if you are not interested in this, don't see it. And don't expect a good plot or any good characters (they do all seem like bad guys except the FBI agent who meet the main character, and he doesn't do anything). Amazing scenes and action though, worth seeing at the movies.
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Teen, 15 years old Written byBaconpizza78 December 30, 2015
age 13+

Why bother?

I saw point break on the big screen and even though I didn't pay for it... I STILL WANT MY MONEY BACK!!! it is just a pointless movie what is the plot? I didnt see any. All I saw was loads of dangerous and I mean DANGEROUS stunts and violence. They give a film like Air force one an R rating and that was hardly even violent... and they give this stunt filled movie a PG-13? Just dont see it. Enough said. Oh yeah, and the role models are so bad most of the characters only care about themselves.
What other families should know
Too much violence
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Teen, 13 years old Written byhbrau13 March 17, 2016
age 10+
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