Movies Like Tubular Swells

If you liked Tubular Swells (1976), a movie directed by Dick Hoole and Jack McCoy, here are 20 movies with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.

1
Drift (2013)
★ 5.8/10
In the 70s two brothers battle killer waves, conservative society and ruthless bikers to kick-start the modern surf industry.
2
Breath (2017)
★ 6.6/10
A pair of teenagers in Western Australia looking to escape the monotony of life in a small town take up surfing lessons from a guy named Sando.
3
Hard to Die (1990)
★ 6/10
While doing the inventory for a lingerie outlet in a high rise office building, five attractive women are terrorized by a series of bizarre killings. They suspect that the strange janitor, who witnessed another series…
4
Riding Giants (2004)
★ 7.6/10
Riding Giants is story about big wave surfers who have become heroes and legends in their sport. Directed by the skateboard guru Stacy Peralta.
5
S.W.A.T.: Under Siege (2017)
★ 5.9/10
When a D.E.A. and S.W.A.T. cartel takedown ends in a shootout, S.W.A.T. Agent Travis Hall seizes a mysterious prisoner taking him into custody. Before long, the S.W.A.T. compound is under siege by wave-after-wave of…
6
Trap House (2025)
★ 6.6/10
An undercover DEA agent and his partner embark on a game of cat and mouse with an audacious, and surprising group of thieves – their own rebellious teenagers, who have begun robbing from a dangerous cartel, using their…
7
Two Hands (1999)
★ 6.6/10
19-year-old Jimmy is just scraping by in the red-light district of Sydney. When local crime lord Pando offers him a shot at working for his syndicate, Jimmy jumps at the chance to deliver a costly package. But, when…
8
One Mile: Chapter Two (2026)
★ 6.6/10
Former special forces operative Danny is forced back onto a remote island when a violent, secretive community takes revenge by abducting his daughter Alex, launching a relentless hunt against enemies prepared for his…
9
Dark Angel (1990)
★ 6.2/10
Jack Caine is a Houston vice cop who's forgotten the rule book. His self-appointed mission is to stop the drugs trade and the number one supplier Victor Manning. While involved in an undercover operation to entrap…
10
The Last Days of American Crime (2020)
★ 6.4/10
In the not-too-distant future, as a final response to crime and terrorism, the U.S. government plans to broadcast a signal that will make it impossible for anyone to knowingly break the law.
11
Frank and Penelope (2022)
★ 7.3/10
A tale of love and violence when a man on his emotional last legs finds a savior seductively dancing in a run-down strip club. And a life most certainly headed off a cliff suddenly becomes redirected - as everything is…
12
King Ivory (2025)
★ 7/10
Based on extensive research involving law enforcement and gang members, a never-before-seen, authentic look inside the underworld of fentanyl trafficking from gangs inside the Oklahoma State Penitentiary at McAlester…
13
Fast Charlie (2023)
★ 6.3/10
When his aging mob boss is whacked, Charlie Swift, a loyal friend and hired gun, will stop at nothing to destroy the upcoming crew that took him out.
14
Johnny Tsunami (1999)
★ 6.1/10
A Hawaiian teenage surfer shows off his skills when he takes to the snow slopes in Vermont.
15
Escobar: Paradise Lost (2014)
★ 6.3/10
For Pablo Escobar family is everything. When young surfer Nick falls for Escobar's niece, Maria, he finds his life on the line when he's pulled into the dangerous world of the family business.
16
xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017)
★ 6.1/10
Xander Cage is left for dead after an incident, though he secretly returns to action for a new, tough assignment with his handler Augustus Gibbons.
17
Big Wednesday (1978)
★ 6.9/10
Three 1960s California surfers fool around, drift apart and reunite years later to ride epic waves.
18
Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV (2001)
★ 6/10
A horrific explosion creates a dimensional portal between Tromaville and its dimensional mirror image, Amortville. While the Toxie is trapped in the mirror dimension, Tromaville comes under the control of his evil…
19
Gunslingers (2025)
★ 6.1/10
When the most wanted man in America surfaces in a small Kentucky town, his violent history -- and a blood-thirsty mob seeking vengeance and a king’s ransom -- soon follow. As brothers face off against one another and…
20
Black Site (2022)
★ 6/10
A group of officers based in a labyrinthine top-secret prison must fight for their lives against Hatchet, a brilliant and infamous high-value detainee. When he escapes, his mysterious and deadly agenda has far reaching…