Windrider

Any film that opens with an extended sequence of a young male windsurfer going through his moves whilst a young windswept female watches him to the accompaniment of an 1980s synthesized pop score tells you pretty much everything you need to know about what to expect.  And so it goes in the case of cinematographer (his credits include Newsfront, 1979 and Heatwave, 1982) turned director, Vincent Monton's debut feature.

Scripted by genre screenwriter Everett DeRoche, Windrider is very much in the style of American teen-oriented movies with Tom Burlinson the Michael J.Fox/Matthew Broderick/Emilio Estevez equivalent atop the surfboard and Nicole Kidman atop the cliff. In order to fund the requisite devil-may-care lifestyle Burlinson is made the son of wealthy industrialist (Bud Tingwell) whilst to justify the musical component Kidman is made the singer of a Kids In The Kitchen-style pop band (the original music was written by Kevin Peek who was a member of John William's Sky.

Unfortunately everyone involved in this film has done, or would do, better work and it is of interest only as a step in either direction.

 

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