Surf’s up for a hero
Waterman (E, 88 mins) Directed by Isaac Halasima Reviewed by
You might never have heard of Duke Paoa Kahanamoku. I hadn’t. In his home of Hawaii, Duke is a legendary figure who attained global fame in the days before Hawaii was a destination for tourists.
He was born when Hawaii was still an independent nation, spent most of his life in Hawaii as a territory and died in 1968, 11 years after Hawaii had been made a state of the United States.
Duke won five Olympic medals in three Olympic Games while representing the US at swimming and at water polo. He toured the world, giving demonstrations of swimming and surfing.
His visits to Australia and New Zealand in 1914 and 1915 are credited with making surfing popular for the first time in both countries, but in Australia especially. There are statues of
Duke in New South Wales and in California – and there is a monument to him, featuring a replica of his surfboard, at New Brighton Beach in Christchurch.
He broke colour barriers, saved dozens of lives, inspired generations, became a superstar the world over – and more or less single-handedly put Hawaii on the map as a home of men who could walk the walk of heroes.
Duke was a giant in every sense – and this film on his life and exploits seems ridiculously overdue. Waterman is a brief, sumptuous, endlessly surprising and effortlessly spectacular film.
In a sub-90-minute running time, director Isaac Halasima lays out the accomplishments of an unrepeatable life and leaves us in no doubt why Duke meant – and means – so much.
With contributions from Kelly Slater and other surfing legends, a nicely weighted narration from Jason Momoa (Aquaman) and a pretty much perfect balance of archival material, recreation and present-day interviews, Waterman was my unexpected treat of the week.
I walked in knowing nothing. And I walked out feeling inspired and quite overawed by the beauty of the film – just as a surfing documentary, Waterman is one of the greats – and by the life of one of the world’s nearly forgotten heroes.
Go and see Waterman, even if you think you’re not interested in a film about a surfing legend. There is so much more here to see.