Fearless Writer ... Reviews

Stars: Blanchard Ryan, Daniel Travis, Saul Stein
Director: Chris Kentis

Since wowing the film wonks at Sundance, Open Water has fallen victim to comparisons. From the “successful indie” perspective it has been compared to The Blair Witch Project and Pi, while its subject matter means it has been likened to Steven Spielberg’s 1975 masterpiece, Jaws. While such juxtapositions are inevitable, they also smack of lazy critical evaluation – while Open Water may have its limitations, it is no clone.

This thriller is based on a true story – and we strongly recommend you don’t research the facts first at the risk of spoiling the movie. Ryan and Travis play Susan and Daniel, a couple whose high-pressure working life is wearing them down. They arrange a last minute holiday on a tropical island and do their best to leave the stress back in America.

The day after their arrival they go scuba diving several miles out to sea. Entranced by eels and other aquatic life, they are the last pair to surface … and when they do, the charter boat is nowhere to be found. Due to a mistake in the head count, the boat has departed without them and they are left floating at the mercy of the ocean currents with no water and no hope of swimming back to shore. Reef sharks constantly cruise by, but they are (initially) a minor problem compared to what the couple must face if they are to survive and be rescued.

Open Water has much to commend. From the moment Daniel and Susan are deserted, the film maintains a low-key suspense that occasionally spikes to outright fear or horror. There are no cheap scares, and, at least in terms of the narrative, the film is believable.

Chris Kentis’ direction works best when he is not trying too hard. Early scenes of the couple at home have a film student feel about them, with too many unnecessary cuts and angles, but the naturalistic style he employs for the remainder of the movie is effective.

What really weakens the film, however, is the casting. While Ryan and Travis are both good actors (and before this, unknown), their looks make them the one “Hollywood” thing in a movie otherwise devoted to realism. Had Kentis foregone the pointless nude scene and cast a couple of regular looking people who blended into the scenery, it would have been that much easier for the audience to buy into it.

One other thing: Open Water feels rushed. With a running time of less than 80 minutes, Kentis really could have indulged himself (and the viewer) with a few more scenes. Susan and Travis’ night spent in the water (what could be more uniquely terrifying?) runs for about a minute and generates minimal emotional response.

Individual weaknesses aside, Open Water is a competent horror/thriller. Plausible, primal and honest, it might not put Jaws to shame but it sure beats much of the forgettable fluff the big studios have come up with in the past 10 years.

VERDICT: 3.5/5 stars

ON THE DVD

COMMENTARIES One with Kentis and his producer wife Laura Lau, the second with the two main stars. Both are middle-of-the-road efforts, listenable but far from riveting. Kentis and Lau point out how much of their own lives were in the film and talk about technical specifics, such as the advantages of using small cameras. Ryan and Travis are more light-hearted but also very thoughtful, mentioning the music quite a bit. Neither party comes up with a suitable justification for the nude scene.

ATTACKING THE SHARK MYTH This documentary explodes shark myths that have been exploded many times before, and also looks at how Kentis kept the events in his movie as close to reality as possible (unlike the merciless killing machine in Jaws, the title of which they studiously avoid mentioning).

CALM BEFORE THE STORM Intimate making-of doco exploring how Kentis and his wife brought the film together over two years of weekends. They knew nothing about digital filmmaking and had to research it from scratch on the internet.

THE INDIE ESSENTIALS Outlines what big studio executives look for when deciding whether to pick up an indie film for wider distribution. They say the key is typically a unique idea – witness Blair Witch, Saw, Pi.

DELETED SCENES Not much to see here, save for the alternate opening which more or less gives away the ending.

OPEN WATER SURVIVAL GUIDE An expert explains the procedures divers should follow were they ever really in a situation like that in Open Water. Many new signalling devices have been developed in the past 10 years or so.