Step Into Liquid (2003)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:76
Fresh:62
Rotten:14
Average Rating:6.9/10
Consensus: A perfect companion piece to The Endless Summer.
Runtime: 90 mins
Genre: Sports/Recreation
Synopsis: If you've ever wondered what it would be like to ride at Pipeline, flirting on the edge of some of the ocean's most powerful and dangerous waves, then you're ready to Step Into Liquid. In this new... If you've ever wondered what it would be like to ride at Pipeline, flirting on the edge of some of the ocean's most powerful and dangerous waves, then you're ready to Step Into Liquid. In this new documentary, director Dana Brown finds that "the stoke" - the passion and elation that keeps surfers paddling back for more - can be found in some pretty unlikely places. Son of Bruce Brown, whose The Endless Summer and its sequel are the best known and most widely seen surfing films ever, Dana's perspective on surfing is a wholly unique one, and he has seen it go from flaky fad to international phenomenon. Moving far beyond the beaches of sunny Southern California, surfing now criss-crosses the globe, from Texas to Wisconsin, Ireland to Vietnam. Traveling to some of the hottest surfing spots in the world, Dana finds the real search isn't for the biggest tube or most radical ride, but instead uncovers and examines what it is about surfing that hooks people's souls, becoming integral to their lives in ways that far exceed a simple pastime. There are as many surfer stories to be found as there are surfers, such as the guy who hasn't missed a day in the water for over 27 years. Or the one eager to get back on his board even after a crippling accident. The film also pays notice to the rise of women in the sport, checks in on the subjects from The Endless Summer films, and follows one group of fearless surfers who head 100 miles from shore to ride some 60-foot-plus, once-every-ten-years waves. With stunning photography that puts the viewer right in the water with many of the best surfers of today, it's time to Step Into Liquid - to catch a wave and get stoked. [More]
Starring: Kelly Slater, Taj Burrow, Laird Hamilton, Rochelle Ballard
Starring: Kelly Slater, Taj Burrow, Laird Hamilton, Rochelle Ballard
Director: Dana Brown
Director: Dana Brown
Screenwriter: Dana Brown
Producer: John-Paul Beeghly
Composer: Richard Gibbs
Studio: Artisan Entertainment
Reviews for Step Into Liquid
| Tomatometer | Critic | Review | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
|
N/R
|
Click to read the article Full Review |
||
|
[Brown] collects some fascinating stories. Full Review |
|||
|
An awe-inspiring survey of global surf culture. Full Review |
|||
|
Simple-minded though it is, it’s wonderful entertainment. Full Review |
|||
|
Click to read the article Full Review |
|||
|
Some of the images are breathtaking, particularly the underwater shots looking up through the water to the surfers on the surface. Full Review |
|||
|
Step Into Liquid is not only about passion, it demonstrates it through a deep and loving knowledge and respect for the subject matter. Full Review |
|||
|
The cinematography is stunning, the camera so close to the surfer that it takes you inside the wave, beneath the falling crest. Full Review |
|||
|
Produced with an insider's knowledge and affection, but surfing's moment as an exotic pop phenomenon with a big curiosity factor for landlubbers has passed... Full Review |
|||
|
A surfing documentary that offers a satisfactory amount of thrills within a tsunami of platitudes and hyperbole. Full Review |
|||
|
Absolutely unlike any documentary you’ve ever seen, Step Into Liquid nearly qualifies as a religious experience. Full Review |
|||
|
A wonderful commercial for everything that makes surfing so enjoyable for many people. Full Review |
|||
|
From start to finish, this documentary on the water-based board sport is filled with 'How did they do that?' moments. Full Review |
|||
|
[Director Dana Brown's] random approach lacks focus, and the interviews with surf champs and hobbyists don't explain the surfing mystique. Full Review |
|||
|
When Step Into Liquid remembers that it is indeed all about the wave, it pulls us right into it. Full Review |
|||
|
Between an entirely attractive cast of characters and stupendous, awe-inspiring cinematography, Step Into Liquid is wonderful entertainment. Full Review |
|||
|
In any sport, whether it's whacking a ball into a cup or your opponent into submission, the majestic and the absurd are very close cousins, and Brown is generous enough here to give us a long look at both. Full Review |
|||
|
The only faults in the film are those that are basically unavoidable in extreme sports docs. Full Review |
|||
|
...the human subjects of Dana Brown's documentary don't have much to say. Everyone recites the same "Surfing's great" mantra. Full Review |
|||
|
N/R
|
Click to read the article Full Review |
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 14% 14% | The Ugly Truth |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 86% 86% | A Christmas Tale |
| 60% 60% | Paper Heart |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- Step Into Liquid at Rotten Tomatoes
- Step Into Liquid at IGN
- Step Into Liquid at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.







