THE HOT CORNER

What: “In God’s Hands”

Hollywood has always had trouble with surfing. It loves the action and the beauty--plus all that skin. But it can’t seem to get the characters right. Or the story.

But then along comes “In God’s Hands” and all hell breaks loose.

We have a story (sort of). There are no hokey stunt doubles. The actors are mostly real-life surfers who play themselves. There’s some romance. Even a conflict to move things along. And the surfing is serious--as a heart attack.

Somehow, it all seems to work.

The “plot” involves the relationships that develop among a group of surfers as they travel to locales in the Indian Ocean, Hawaii and Mexico. They are surfing, but also interacting with peoples, cultures and one another, with interesting results.

There is real dialogue being spoken by Shane Dorian, Shaun Thomson, Matt George and others better known for their moves on the waves than on stage.

In real life, most of these surfers have spent the ‘90s perfecting a new technique--mostly on the north shore of Maui--in which Jet Skis are used to tow surfers into waves that previously were too big and too dangerous to ride.

Surfers need more speed than paddling will allow to catch up to the giant swells. Therefore, they are towed like water skiers into the waves before they break, then picked up at the end of the ride. The key is not to fall during the ride. If you do, you’re in God’s hands.

Notably absent from the cast is Laird Hamilton, one of the tow-in originators and one of the sport’s top personalities. He was offered a part but turned it down.

The action alone is probably not enough to keep an audience of non-surfers captive for two hours. But there is enough depth to the story, and the water photography is spectacular. The power of the waves is awesome, the danger sobering.

The conflicts and relationships are developed and resolved as they push surfing to its limits. And, best of all, there is no Hollywood trickery involved. Gidget definitely has left the beach.