Overview
An injured quarterback turned FBI agent goes undercover to infiltrate a gang of bank robbing surfers. Let's be honest, Point Break has quite possibly one of the best plot lines to ever come out of Hollywood. Add in the all-star cast of Patrick Swayze, Gary Busey, a young heart-throb Keanu Reeves, the singer from Red Hot Chili Peppers, plus dialogue that’d make Shakespeare turn in his grave, and you’ve got yourself a bonafide cinematic masterpiece. What’s more brah, it even mentions New Zealand.
Ahead of Point Break screening at Silo Park, we dug deeper than what we already knew to bring you ten tidbits that you may not have known about the classic film.
1. You Gonna Jump Or Jerk Off?
Being an accomplished skydiver, Patrick Swayze himself took part in the big skydiving climax. The producers ended up serving him with a cease and desist letter after he jumped out of a plane over 30 times during filming.
2. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!
The main character Johnny Utah became a FBI agent after a knee injury ended his football career. In the real world, Keanu Reeves was once an aspiring hockey player who suffered a knee injury and went on to become an actor…who played Johnny Utah.
3. You’re A Real Blue Flame Special
Matthew Broderick was originally offered the role of Johnny Utah. Val Kilmer and Willem Dafoe also thankfully turned down the role. Others who didn’t quite make the cut include Johnny Depp and Charlie Sheen.
4. Utah, Get Me TWO
A re-make is currently in the works. The picture is being directed by Ericson Core with 24-year-old Australian actor Luke Bracey reprising Keanu Reeves' role as Johnny Utah, while Venezuelan actor Edgar Ramirez will play Bohdi. There’s also a Facebook petition to stop the remake. As of writing the petition has 36 members.
5. Vaya con Dios, Brah
There are 23 continuity mistakes in the film. Look close enough and you will discover reappearing hubcabs, wayward shooting guns and an everlasting skydive free fall.
6. You're Sayin' The FBI’s Gonna Pay Me To Learn To Surf?
If it wasn’t obvious enough already, the night surfing scene was actually filmed during the day with a filter so it looked like it was dark. The sun, clouds and blue sky can be seen in the background.
7. I Knew You Wouldn’t Miss a Fifty Year Storm Bohdi
Although Point Break is one of director Kathryn Bigelow’s highest grossing films, raking in $83.5 million at the box office, it remains her most critically slandered film. It also failed to impress all the judges of Hollywood's glitzy award ceremonies, though Keanu did beat out Patrick to take home ‘Most Desirable Male’ at the MTV Movie Awards.
8. I AM AN F... B... I AGENT
Because of an unresolved issue with the Writers Guild of America, Bigelow’s then husband and mega-director James Cameron is uncredited for his role in re-writing the final script.
9. Punk. Quarterback Punk.
Hollywood thought the premise was so good that they went on to mirror the storyline a decade later as a boy racer's wet dream in the multi-million dollar franchise, The Fast & The Furious.
10. 100% pure adrenaline
The word "fuck" is said 105 times.