Cinemablend: Coming so soon after 127 Hours proved how well told a rote tale of triumph over adversity can be, Soul Surfer feels especially ham-fisted and pandering. The story of teenage surfer Bethany Hamilton, who was back on her board just months after her left arm was bitten off by a shark, Soul Surfer is a movie of easily digestible truths and canned inspirational messages, taking every possible easy route though a story that could have used a few more thorns.
Soul Surfer is about Bethany Hamilton, a living testament to the triumph of the human spirit. After a shark attack, she hasn't let her disability get in the way of her passion for surfing and people. This is her movie.
Carrie Underwood says she's pretty happy with the job she did in her first movie. She plays a youth pastor in "Soul Surfer."
But, Underwood is honest with herself and asks "Am I going to win an Oscar? No."
I had no idea Soul Surfer was her first movie, I actually didn't even know she was in it until now. Shows how much I care about the film.
Despite its inclinations toward the formulaic, the true-life ordeal of Bethany Hamilton makes for a perfectly suited inspirational film. Full review by Chris Pandolfi.
