The wonderful thing about Point Break is that whatever angle you approach it from, there's more to it than you think.

First and foremost it's a popcorn action movie. But Bigelow – a gifted painter and Columbia Film School graduate – is no ordinary action director.

Look at most examples of the genre, from James Bond onwards and it's all about the hardware: big guns, fast cars, high-tech gadgets.

For Bigelow, it's movement - physical action. The military precision of an organised bank job; the divine prowess of a sun-kissed wave-chaser; the breathless vigour of a foot pursuit shown in real time from the pursuer's shaky, blurred viewpoint.

Even one seemingly straightforward sequence – Keanu's first day at his new office – becomes a thing of beauty, as Bigelow's restless Steadicam tracks him through doors, corners and desks in one fluid and unbroken shot.