The Surfer trailer shows Nicolas Cage beefing with cultish Australian surfers, and things get weird pretty fast. Directed by Lorcan Finnegan, known for 2019’s Vivarium, his new psychological thriller follows Nicolas Cage as a father who returns to his childhood beach in Australia to surf with his son, but is continually thwarted by a group of locals who don’t want outsiders around. Other than Cage, the cast is made up almost entirely of Aussie actors, including Julian McMahon, Nic Cᴀssim, Miranda Tapsell, Alexander Bertrand, Justin Rosniak, Rahel Romahn, Finn Little, and Charlotte Maggi.

Now, RoadsideFlix has released the first official trailer for The Surfer. The trailer finds Nicolas Cage’s character returning to his childhood beach in Australia to surf with his son. However, his plans are derailed by a territorial and almost cultish group of locals who repeat the mantra, “Don’t live here, don’t surf here.” As tensions mount under the oppressive summer heat, he is driven into an escalating conflict with the locals that pushes him to his breaking point. Watch the trailer below:

What The Surfer Trailer Means For The Movie

What Are Critics Saying About Nicolas Cage’s Performance?

The Surfer is riding towards its theatrical release from Roadside Attractions this spring, though the movie already premiered this past May at the Cannes Film Festival in the Midnight Screenings section, which showcases genre films such as psychological thrillers. Critics are calling Nicolas Cage’s performance in The Surfer one of his best in years – praising his intense, committed, and often unhinged portrayal of a man unraveling. Critics​​​​​​​ especially find the film’s exploration of toxic masculinity and gentrification to be compelling, and agree that it has the makings of a cult classic.

The trailer highlights much of the critical acclaim for the film, and especially Cage’s performance. Critics are calling it “99 minutes of pure sun-beaten terror,” “a paranoid tale of hysteria and craziness” and “a film set to pressure-cook” filled with “nail-biting tension.” Other quotes claim that “Nicolas Cage gives one of his best performances,” seemingly of his entire career, and that the film “will have Nicolas Cage fans cheering.”

Our Take On The Surfer Trailer

Nicolas Cage Delivers Another Wild Performance

Judging by the trailer, The Surfer seems to feature another wonderfully wacky and wild performance from Nicolas Cage, coming not long after his chilling turn as an occultist serial killer in Longlegs. However, in The Surfer, Cage’s character slowly spirals toward insanity, trading shadowy horror for sun-drenched psychological torment. The Surfer should provide another entry in the ever-expanding pantheon of crazy Cage performances.

Source: RoadsideFlix