A Masterpiece!

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Admittedly I am not a surfer but I do enjoy surfing movies. I put this on in the background just for the noise. I hadn't seen the trailer and didn't know anything about it.The self righteous indignation from many of the reviews is surprising. They are up front about their intentions - simply to find the perfect wave. They did not start off with lofty pursuits just looking for a good wave. That they connected with the indigenous people of the area they were visiting was a turn in the story.I was not aware of the atrocities of the Papua people. I found the story compelling and enlightening. The surfers were clearly touched by the people they stayed with and are trying to take the message of those people to the rest of the world. Are they TFB - maybe - are they just rich surfers - probably - but they are using their position to shed light on a population who is being terribly abused.

I've read some rather obtuse reviews about this movie. The "Natives" that are boring and the TFB's that are there to surf and witness the atrocities...that is the point. Without awareness, when the world is blind to such matters, we fail. This, to Melanesia/West Papua, was a chance to inform others. Of course the TFB surfers were there. We need them to get the word out, because nobody listens to those with little status and no money. In accordance with UN and West Papua Decolonization, the stance from Kobe Oser was this, "focusing on the politics of decolonization and the UN Committee, as West Papua Melanesia is unfinished UN business (we were until 1962 as a Melanesia nation on the UN non-self governing territories list). I also addressed the producer (Geoff Clark) of the Isolated movie to congratulate them with the fantastic picture of Ryan Phillipe (see attachment) wearing a West Papua t-shirt! To get our struggle for independence and political justice recognized by the Hollywood entertainment industry and publicly by Ryan Phillipe is a huge boost! I also brought to their attention a big West Papua Rally which our friends from the advocacy organization ETAN." So I suggest that before anyone speaks hastily, they may want to learn about why it was done and how West Papua feels. Also, check out James Cameron's AvaTar Sands...another means to address a global problem. Don't criticize before you actually know. What is happening is not boring. It's real and perhaps parts are boring. Personal opinion. West Papua hopes that others will see and care.

great chill filmI enjoyed vicariously witnessing wildly beautiful places with sanguine surfing explorers, and the side story's (which develops into THE story) added depth (which is all about caring for strangers) really fixed me happily to the whole tale. Another critic skewered this film for lack of integrity. If all he gathered from this film is that these surfers were "trust fund babies" on a vacation, then I think the guy is simply disagreeable. Sometimes the people trying anything they can think of to make a difference seem silly to people whose efforts have never reached beyond the criticism of others.

A bunch of trust fund babies take a HUGE amount of expensive surfing equipment to remote beaches around New Guinea. Then talk about the conditions of the people living there. Add in some dramatic music to make it seem as if they are making ANY kind of contribution to these people's lives and then leave to go surf some more.I can't get over how arrogant this all is. Most people have to work for a living. Your mission was to SURF?!>?!?! really? You took a film crew and half a dozen surfers across the world to find some WAVES>?!>!>!> the hubris of this is unbelievable. Then I see the budget was 1.1 million dollars.. GRRRRRRRR... maybe you could have made a real contribution to these people and not just made a self aggrandizing film about how great you are for filming people living in fear of genocide and other atrocities.Phew.. I feel better. Thank you for your time. and if you made this movie and are reading this, please re-evaluate your priorities in life.