Set in Western Australia, Windrider was promoted as a “romantic action film about windsurfing”. Unfortunately, there weren’t enough windsurfing scenes to justify that claim, and the romance is unintentionally comic.
Obnoxious bleached blonde yuppie “PC” Simpson (Tom Burlinson) is wealthy, a brilliant engineer, a determined windsurfer and an all-around smooth kind of guy. At least, that’s what he and his adoring public think.
Jade Kelly (Nicole Kidman in her first adult role), the fiery, determined lead singer of a rock band, is the natural opposite.
And, of course, opposites attract. Then repel. Then attract . . .
The film begins with PC windsurfing and achieving the impossible, a “360” – a complete circle in the air on his board. Jade – who has just finished an all-night recording session and is at the beach for a bit of peace and quiet – witnesses the miraculous event. Our hero runs out of the water and jumps around like an idiot – and Jade disappears.
Naturally, PC falls in love with this mystery woman, but the mystery is solved when he sees her on a rock video shown on local TV. He tracks her down and pursues her with the force of a moose in heat.
Along the way, up pops a great white shark to threaten him. It’s about as menacing and convincing as the blow-up ones you can buy at those cheap stands at the beach.
And that’s about as much plot as there is. But the scenery is lovely, and the windsurfing footage (with expert rider David Sheen doubling for Burlinson) is great.
Stewart ‘PC’ Simpson
Tom Burlinson Jade Kelly
Nicole Kidman Miss Dodge
Jill Perryman Stewart Simpson Sr.
Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell Howard
Simon Chilvers Coyote
Kim Bullad Ratso
Stig Wemyss Mangles
Mark Williams Rabbit
Alastair G. Cumming Wally
Robin Miller Lurch
Matt Parkinson Mud
Lorraine Webster McBride
John Ryan King
Lance Karapetcoff Ross
Ric Whittle Hayes
Andy Copeman Engineer
Trevor Spencer Cram
Alistair Browning Kate
Penny Brown Tea Lady
Peggy Walker Barman
Roger Watkins Bouncer
Jerry Thomas Marco
Maurie Ogden Tow Truck Driver
Sid Plummer Lifesaver
Greg Nunn Contest Organizer
Jeremy Higgins Sports Announcer
Don Barrett Television Director
Bill McCluskey Motor Bike Rider
Mick Van Moorsel Radio Announcer
Allan Symons
Director
Vincent Monton
Video
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Obnoxious bleached blonde yuppie “PC” Simpson (Tom Burlinson) is wealthy, a brilliant engineer, a determined windsurfer and an all-around smooth kind of guy. At least, that’s what he and his adoring public think.
Naturally, PC falls in love with this mystery woman, but the mystery is solved when he sees her on a rock video shown on local TV. He tracks her down and pursues her with the force of a moose in heat.
