Are documentaries getting better these days, or do we not see enough of them, so it seems this is the case? Not that I've seen every documentary unfortunately, but I have seen many of them and not only are they informative, but in some cases, entertaining as well. "Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable" is the documentary of which the biopic "Soul Surfer" '11 was based. So it was interesting to see the correlation between the biopic and the documentary.
Bethany Hamilton is rewriting the rules on being a fearless athlete. This is the untold story of the heart of a champion and her resilience against all odds to become one of the leading professional surfers of our time.
Hamilton lost her arm to a 14-foot tiger shark at age 13 in 2003, but this didn't stop her from pursuing her dream of becoming a professional surfer. She was back on the surfboard four weeks after the attack. However, it wasn't only the competition that fueled her desire to stay in the big blue, but her love for the ocean. Not only has she conquered the giant walls, but also the journey of getting married to supportive Adam Dirks and of being a mother--all with only one arm. Through interviews with Dirks, her mom, Cheri, dad, Tom, brothers, Noah and Timmy and others in the field, we learn more about this tenacious individual. And through her obvious belief in the Lord God and support of others, she continues to inspire and she never stops; Bethany Hamilton is Unstoppable.
This was well delineated by director and cinematographer Aaron Lieber ("The Pursuit" (documentary) '08, "Lakey Peterson: Zero to 100" (documentary) '13). Not only was this amazing filmmaker able to connect all these interviews in a well delineated timeline, but the cinematography was simply stunning. Obviously he had many others cinematographers to assist him-- the production was on his shoulders but he was able to pull it off in spades. Between the cinematography, editing and post-production, this film soared. The cinematography was absolutely to be unbelieved. Some of the surfing shots were awesome! It was effectively written by Carol Martori ("Wake Up Screaming" (video documentary) '06, "From Here to There" (documentary) '14, "Social Animals" (documentary) '18) and Lieber. Obviously this was written narratively well by Martori, and it was well executed. Surely Lieber's contribution to the script was smaller, however pivotal considering this is his film. Along with the directing, these writers were definitely able to show their audience the humanity of these people that surrounded Hamilton in her life.
This is a documentary that all should see in that it is informative, entertaining, heartfelt, heart-pounding, exciting and with a great message of determination, a strong belief and the willingness to engage herself and those around her to reach for your dream, in spite of the obstacles. The title says it all: Bethany is Unstoppable!
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: PG 100mins.
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