Imagine that within a blink of an eye,  the dream towards which you have been working for your entire life is swept out from under you.

For surfer Bethany Hamilton, one fateful early-morning trip out to sea did more than just rip her dream away; it ended in a violent shark attack that led to the loss of her left arm. Soul Surfer, a movie released on April 8, is based on Hamilton’s tragedy and return to competitive surfing.

The movie opens up with Hamilton, played by AnnaSophia Robb, talking about her love for the water and her one dream that some day she might be able to make it as a professional surfer.

It is easy to see that Hamilton has the talent and skill to achieve her one goal when she easily wins her first competition. However, after the attack, the struggles that Hamilton goes through to earn her place back on top pulls the viewers in and causes them to root for her the entire way.

The writers of Soul Surfer were able to keep most of the facts of Hamilton’s story the same and did not add too many cheesy Hollywood fillers in an attempt to engage the audience. Although some of the facts were out of order, majority of the plot was extremely similar to Hamilton’s life.

There were many recognizable actors in Soul Surfer including Dennis Quaid, AnnaSophia Robb, Helen Hunt and even country singer Carrie Underwood, who has never previously acted in a movie. These actors filled their roles very well and made the movie believable. Underwood’s acting, while was impressive for her film debut, could have used some improvement at times.

The background music in Soul Surfer helped dramatize many important moments and included a wide variety of genres including traditional Hawaiian music and more. When Hamilton’s attack occurred Hawaiian chanting could be heard in the background as she was rushed to safety.

The scenes of the ocean and beaches through out the movie are breathtakingly beautiful and will make you feel as if you really are in Hawaii surfing alongside Hamilton.

While the movie’s ending can be seen from the beginning, it still is overall a bubbly and inspiring movie that most will enjoy and not regret watching.