COLUMBIA, Missouri (26 August 2004) -- A gimmick movie in desperate need of a hook, "Open Water" founders for 79 agonizing minutes then sinks like a stone. Those minutes tick by mighty slow in this would-be thriller, filmed on a shoestring budget by rookie writer/director Chris Kentis ("Grind") and loosely based on real-life events. Blanchard Ryan and Daniel Travis play unmarried couple Susan and Daniel, who break from their busy careers to take a much-needed tropical vacation. After a day of shopping and sunbathing, the pair signs up for some early-morning scuba diving. Joined by 20 other travelers and local guides, the excursion takes them far offshore, where they enjoy a plethora of marine life - moray eels, barracuda and a variety of sharks. "If you don't want to see sharks," the captain tells the group, "just close your eyes." Caught up in this underwater wonderland, Susan and Daniel lose track of time and remain under long after the others have surfaced. Unfortunately, there's a mistake in the head count, and the crew believes all are on board. The boat leaves, stranding Susan and Daniel in a shark-infested ocean. Incredulous at their predicament, yet certain the boat will return to save them, the couple simply drift with the currents and wait. As time passes and hope for rescue fades, Susan and Daniel run a mini-gamut of emotions, from fear and panic to anger and quiet resolve. All the while, the waters around them grow hungrier. Essentially a two-person tale, productions like this demand a captivating script and powerful performances, two qualities sorely missing from this film. The premise sounds fascinating - my head swims with possibilities - but Kentis lacks the ability to find any dramatic value in the characters or setting. The actors are barely serviceable in their roles, with Ryan faring best only by virtue of some minor experience. She has her moments, but newcomer Travis - making his acting debut - is laughably wooden. Much of their dialogue sounds forced, inconsequential or badly improvised. Most people would register extreme terror and panic, not light-hearted banter, hours into their plight. My favorite line, after a bit of open-water nausea: "Let's swim out of this puke." That about sums it up for me. Seriously, I could grasp nothing of interest in this film. Kentis' efforts invite comparisons to "The Blair Witch Project," in that both films share lousy production values, tedious scripts and awful acting. Beyond all that, it's just plain boring. Once stranded, the movie spends nearly a full hour focused on two talking heads bobbing in the water. The scenery never changes, and the characters' emotional ride isn't exactly a tour de force. It's an unenviable task for the actors, to carry an entire movie without a decent script or worthwhile character development. | | Tom and Eileen Lonergan As a thriller, there's nothing to sink our teeth into. I know the actors swam with real gray reef and bull sharks to make the movie, but that doesn't make it "Jaws." Despite the unique setting, Kentis evokes precious little atmosphere or suspense. It gets so bad, you might start rooting for the sharks, if only to stir things up a bit. Kentis' direction shows almost as much energy and imagination as his script. Shot on what looks like a video cell phone, the picture quality is unnecessarily poor. Given the film's limited visual elements - two people and lots of water - you would think Kentis would fill the void with some creative camera work. No such luck. The water's not all rancid, mind you. There's a nicely staged nighttime scene with circling sharks, visible only when lightning flashes. I also liked the shots where a wave dips the camera below surface, and we catch a quick but horrific glimpse of the immediate area, teeming with sharks. Over-hyped and grossly underdeveloped, "Open Water" plays the audience like chum and lacks the teeth to deliver a proper bite. What a cruel, boring tease. SOURCE - Columbia Daily TribuneCDNN Related NewsOpen Water: The True Story Behind the MovieDive industry totally against us say Lonergan's parentsOpen Water: Maybe diving in Australia is a bad thingDive Queensland bent on bashing 'Open Water' filmScuba movie Open Water slowly drifts nowhereNot so chummy: Open Water a boring stuntDrowning in Open Water, DEMA spins out of controlOpen Water movie takes hefty $1 million box office biteHollywood's 'Open Water' film earns rave reviews |
