Buzz
Before you tackle that final wave in the epic 50-year storm, ensure you know all there is to know about Point Break. As always, vaya con dios.
1. THE IDEA FOR THE STORY WAS BORN IN A FITTING LOCATION.
Rick King, the co-producer (who also holds a “Story by” credit for the film), initially conceived the idea while relaxing on the beach. Inspired by an LA Weekly article highlighting Los Angeles as America's robbery hub, he envisioned a tale of an FBI agent going undercover in a surf gang that funds their lifestyle through bank heists.
2. THE SCREENWRITER HAD MORE THAN JUST SCRIPTWRITING DUTIES.
King brought in screenwriter W. Peter Iliff to write the script for a mere $6000. Due to the low pay, Iliff worked as a waiter during the day and spent his nights crafting the screenplay for Point Break.
3. THE FILM HAD MULTIPLE TITLES BEFORE ITS RELEASE.
Initially, the movie was to be called “Johnny Utah,” after the character later portrayed by Keanu Reeves. It was later changed to “Riders on the Storm” during early production but was ultimately named Point Break—a surfing term referring to a wave breaking over a land projection—before filming concluded.
4. KEANU REEVES WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL PICK FOR JOHNNY UTAH.
The film's producers initially considered Charlie Sheen or Johnny Depp for the role, but director Kathryn Bigelow insisted on casting Reeves. Interestingly, Patrick Swayze first auditioned for the role of Utah before being cast as Bodhi.
5. THE NAME UTAH WAS INSPIRED BY A FOOTBALL LEGEND.
Although Johnny only played as a quarterback at Ohio State in the film, screenwriter W. Peter Iliff named the character after NFL legend Joe Montana.
6. BODHI AND JOHNNY SHARED A PRIOR CONNECTION.
Point Break wasn’t the first collaboration between Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves. They had previously worked together in the 1986 hockey film Youngblood, which marked Reeves’ debut in a studio movie.
7. THE FILM'S PRODUCTION SPANNED SEVERAL YEARS.
Originally slated for production in 1987 with Ridley Scott directing, the project was halted after the producers lost the film rights. It was revived four years later when James Cameron and his then-wife Kathryn Bigelow sought projects for her to direct.
8. THE EX-PRESIDENTS WERE ACTUAL SURFERS.
Rather than hiring actors who could surf, Bigelow chose real surfers who could act to portray the “Ex-Presidents” gang. Bojesse Christopher (Grommet) and John Philbin (Nathaniel) were professional surfers with acting experience.
9. THE FOOT CHASE SCENE BETWEEN BODHI AND UTAH WAS HIGHLY TECHNICAL.
To capture the chaotic energy of the scene, Bigelow and her team used a custom rig called the “pogo-cam.” This setup featured a gyro-stabilized camera mounted on a long pole, allowing the cameraman to film the actors from dynamic angles, either in front or behind them.
10. SWAYZE WASN’T PRESENT FOR THE FOOT CHASE SHOOT.
During the foot chase scene, it’s not Swayze wearing the Reagan mask. His stunt double, Scott Wilder, stepped in for the sequence because Swayze was in Europe promoting Ghost.
11. ONE OF THE SURFERS IS A FAMOUS MUSICIAN.
Among the surf gang members is Anthony Kiedis, the lead singer of Red Hot Chili Peppers. Point Break wasn’t his acting debut; he began his acting career in 1978 under the name “Cole Dammett” and first appeared as Sylvester Stallone’s son in the film F.I.S.T.
Point Break isn’t the sole instance where Reeves acted alongside a Red Hot Chili Peppers member. He also starred in My Own Private Idaho (released the same year, 1991) with Flea, the band’s bassist.
12. THE CAST UNDERWENT RIGOROUS FIGHT TRAINING.
Second unit director and stunt coordinator Glenn Wilder organized weekend fight training for the cast, as Bigelow insisted the actors perform their own fight scenes. Kiedis reportedly skipped these sessions, leading to his character being swiftly knocked out in the movie’s first fight.
13. THE SKYDIVING SCENES WERE ILLUSIONS …
For close-up shots during the skydiving scenes, custom crane rigs with telescoping arms were constructed for each actor. These rigs allowed the cast to deliver their lines while being filmed from below, creating the illusion of freefalling.
14. … BUT SOME SKYDIVING SCENES WERE AUTHENTIC.
Swayze, an avid skydiver, was asked to halt his hobby for insurance reasons during filming. However, producers struck a deal, allowing him to perform one real skydive for the movie. The iconic shot of Bodhi yelling “Adios amigo!” as he leaps from the plane features Swayze’s genuine skydive.
15. THE SURFING SCENES WERE REAL, BUT NOT ALWAYS THE ACTORS.
While the cast took surfing lessons for simpler scenes, professional surfer stunt doubles handled the more perilous sequences. For the climactic “50-Year Storm” scene, Swayze was doubled by renowned big-wave surfer Darrick Doerner.
16. THE FILM INSPIRED A LIVE STAGE PERFORMANCE.
Point Break Live! features a live stage performance of the entire film, with a unique twist: an audience member is randomly selected to portray Johnny Utah. Mimicking Reeves’ famously erratic performance, the chosen participant reads all their lines directly from cue cards.
