Riding Giants
A spirited history of surfing that turns towering waves, rebellious culture, and mortal risk into an exhilarating meditation on freedom and the limits of human mastery.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- rollicking
- passionate
- exhilarating
- adventure movie night
- surfing watchlist
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as an authentic, energetic, and visually mesmerizing history of surfing that expands beyond popularized surf imagery.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film traces surfing from Hawaiian origins through its subversive cultural emergence, media boom, exploitation, and modern rebellious identity.
Large-scale wave photography and fluid surfing footage make the ocean an overwhelming visual presence.
The film frames big-wave surfing as an endless pursuit of an ultimate wave and spiritual pinnacle that can never be fully reached.
Surfers and cultural figures provide an insider history spanning surfing's Hawaiian beginnings, professionalization, and contemporary practice.
Films like Riding Giants, and why
The Endless Summer
shared surfing history, ocean spectacle, and adventurous documentary storytelling
Step into Liquid
shared focus on surfing culture, athletic pursuit, and visually immersive waves
Free Solo
shared extreme-sports documentary perspective, risk-taking, and kinetic visual intensity
180° South
shared ocean-centered adventure, human resilience, and documentary engagement with dangerous natural environments
Movie Details
- Director
- Stacy Peralta
- Release Date
- 2004-07-09
- Runtime
- 105 min
- Rating
- 7.6 / 10 (50)
Cast
- Jeff Clark
- Darrick Doerner
- Laird Hamilton
- Dave Kalama
- David H. Kalama Jr.
- Brian Keaulana
- Buzzy Kerbox
- Titus Kinimaka
- Gerry Lopez
- Mickey Munoz
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Riding Giants about?
- A spirited history of surfing that turns towering waves, rebellious culture, and mortal risk into an exhilarating meditation on freedom and the limits of human mastery.
- What is Riding Giants like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Riding Giants as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Riding Giants violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Riding Giants as mild.
- What did critics think of Riding Giants?
- Critics broadly praised the film as an authentic, energetic, and visually mesmerizing history of surfing that expands beyond popularized surf imagery.
- Which films are like Riding Giants?
- Films with a similar feel include The Endless Summer, Step into Liquid, Free Solo, and 180° South.
- How long is Riding Giants?
- Riding Giants runs 105 minutes.
- Where can I watch Riding Giants?
- In United States, Riding Giants streams on fuboTV.
