Open Water
LINKS
—Review
—Trailers, Photos
—About this Film
—Spiritual Connections
“Rip-off.� That was the first thing I heard from the audience when this film was over. Although I would not offer that as my own one-word film review, I do agree that after setting us up with an intriguing premise, Open Water lets us down hard at the end.
The set-up of Open Water is painfully clever: A stressed-out couple is accidentally left behind during a diving excursion in the Bahamas. Alone in shark-infested waters, they strive to overcome the psychological, physical, and interpersonal trauma such an ordeal involves. The problem is, once the couple is out there floating, there are only so many directions the story can go. And few seem capable of topping the simple brilliance of the premise.
This film has been billed as “Blair Witch meets Jaws.� because it is a low-budget indie thriller about sharks. But I think such industry shorthand misrepresents what is really a character study, more along the lines of Castaway. As we bob next to Susan and Daniel, we see them go through the gamut of emotions, from euphoria to anger to outright panic and despair. It’s gripping stuff, a cross between reality TV (even the sharks are real) and our own worst nightmares. Watching it, we can’t help but imagine how we would react in the same situation.
At one point, Susan remarks that she doesn’t know which is worse: seeing the sharks or not seeing them. I had to agree. Would I rather see death coming or have it take me unawares? I guess my response would be dictated by what I thought was waiting for me on the “other side� and how prepared I was to face it. This couple struck me as completely unprepared. They were so wrapped up in their busy lives they hadn’t given death a second thought. That got me thinking: How different am I from them? Will I be ready when death arrives, whether I see it coming or not?
I certainly hope so.
LINKS
—Review
—Trailers, Photos
—About this Film
—Spiritual Connections
—Review
—Trailers, Photos
—About this Film
—Spiritual Connections
“Rip-off.� That was the first thing I heard from the audience when this film was over. Although I would not offer that as my own one-word film review, I do agree that after setting us up with an intriguing premise, Open Water lets us down hard at the end.The set-up of Open Water is painfully clever: A stressed-out couple is accidentally left behind during a diving excursion in the Bahamas. Alone in shark-infested waters, they strive to overcome the psychological, physical, and interpersonal trauma such an ordeal involves. The problem is, once the couple is out there floating, there are only so many directions the story can go. And few seem capable of topping the simple brilliance of the premise.
This film has been billed as “Blair Witch meets Jaws.� because it is a low-budget indie thriller about sharks. But I think such industry shorthand misrepresents what is really a character study, more along the lines of Castaway. As we bob next to Susan and Daniel, we see them go through the gamut of emotions, from euphoria to anger to outright panic and despair. It’s gripping stuff, a cross between reality TV (even the sharks are real) and our own worst nightmares. Watching it, we can’t help but imagine how we would react in the same situation.
At one point, Susan remarks that she doesn’t know which is worse: seeing the sharks or not seeing them. I had to agree. Would I rather see death coming or have it take me unawares? I guess my response would be dictated by what I thought was waiting for me on the “other side� and how prepared I was to face it. This couple struck me as completely unprepared. They were so wrapped up in their busy lives they hadn’t given death a second thought. That got me thinking: How different am I from them? Will I be ready when death arrives, whether I see it coming or not?I certainly hope so.
LINKS
—Review
—Trailers, Photos
—About this Film
—Spiritual Connections
