I watched this only because it’s on a list of good documentaries: I have very little interest in surfing or surfing culture. But to my surprise, I found that this was an interesting, adrenaline-pumping story. Riding Giants covers the development of “big wave” surfing from the 1950s to today. After a very brief introduction to surfing in general, the main focus was on the quest for bigger and higher waves. It was really interesting to see the beginnings of the modern sport, and how much things have changed to today. I thought it was really cool to hear stories from the pioneers of the sport. And the cinematography was AMAZING: tons of glorious shots, both slow-motion and regular speed, of people surfing down waves that look more like tropical storms. It would have been even better on a big screen. I would definitely recommend this to even the casual documentary fan: there’s a lot to like, even if you’re not into the subject matter.

awesome documentary with GREAT footage, and informative history on the courageous topic of “SURFING”....you can NOT watch this and NOT be inspired. Full of action, adventure and humor.

One of my all time favorites.