Big Wednesday (1978)

Director: John Milius

Starring: Jan-Michael Vincent, William Katt, Gary Busey

Character study about the lives of some California surfers from the early 1960s to the 1970s as the Vietnam War interrupts their carefree life.

Yawn. Oh, thank goodness the credits rolled. If it wasn’t for the gorgeous eye candy, nice 60’s soundtrack and the beautiful shots of the waves, this would have been a total waste of time. ‘Big Wednesday’ will definitely appeal more to surfing enthusiasts.

The best part about the movie, was the surfing. Apart from that, there honestly was nothing memorable. Neither the story or the characters interested me, with the exception of Bear (Sam Melville). His character and story was by far the most interesting, and probably the only character I really rooted for. He went from an ordinary guy to a man who had it all, and then lost everything again, ending up worse than he started out.

As for the rest of the characters, it felt like they simply made up time in the film. We follow them over a period of time, and there definitely is character development. Still, I didn’t truly care much for them. Their efforts to avoid going to the army was unbelievable and a bit silly.

‘Big Wednesday’ is a slow and boring movie, highlighted only by the surfing moments. In case you’re wondering, Big Wednesday is the name of a big swell. The film boasts some spectacular shots of the waves – especially during the finale. In general, however, ‘Big Wednesday’ is forgettable.

‘Big Wednesday’ was a huge box office flop, only recuperating $4.5 million of its $11 million budget. I guess I’m not the only one who found it boring…

Would I watch it again? No.