Open Water (B- or 2.5/4 stars)
Look out for Jaws in 'Open Water', a horror film written & directed by Chris Kentis. It is based on a true story of 2 scuba divers who are accidentally left behind in shark-infested waters after their tour boat has departed. In the water, they have to face one-on-one arguments, high anxiety, jellyfish, sharks, and dehydration. 'Open Water' isn't really entertaining, it's horrifying. Parts of the film drag, some of the plot is weak. But you almost want it to drag at times (so you can catch up on inhaling some much needed air). If you went to the theater looking for existential terror (like me), you simply can't be disappointed.
Daniel & Susan (Daniel Travis, Blanchard Ryan) are the couple who are stranded in the Caribbean Sea. They had hoped to go on vacation, escape their tumultuous jobs, & re-connect with each other. On the day of their disappearance, the dive instructor conducted a head count of 20 people on the boat. They dive, enjoy the underwater wonders, but the pit in our stomach is already growing because we know what will happen in a few moments. For some inexplicable reason, the dive instructor miscounted, and the boat ends their excursion thinking that all 20 are back, when there are only 18!
Dan & Susan resurface to find that their boat is gone. Had they drifted? Was there an emergency? Surely the boat will reappear in a minute ... nope. Hours & hours go by and they're still clinging on to hope for rescue. In the interim, Dan & Susan rehash old arguments, create new ones, contemplate staying in one spot or trying to swim for help, etc. All the while, boats are passing them by and they can't believe the situation they're in. They're legs are getting tired, they're minds are water-logged, they're hungry & thirsty. Things start to fall apart when some jellyfish sting them. The tangible fear that shark(s) may show up becomes a reality, and you can guess where this horror story ventures next.
Night falls, as does a hard rain. It isn't until the next morning that the dive crew finds Dan & Susan's gear on the boat. And it isn't until morning that their hotel realizes that they had never returned to their suite. In one visceral, wide-eyed scene, a shark nips at Susan (though she doesn't realize it). Later, another shark takes a larger bite out of Dan and the blood now attracts a host of other sea creatures. Fear, shock, mania & hopelessness sets in. A search team (of boats & helicopters) is sent-out to look for them, but is it too late? Why hadn't anyone noticed them missing? Can they have survived? Will they be rescued at all?
This film is basically your worst nightmare realized. It's 'the train wreck that you can't tear your eyes from'. Because almost an hour of this short film centers on the 2 characters bobbing in the water, you feel just as tired, drained, and frightened as them. It's as realistic as if you were there in the saltwater yourselves. This isn't your conventional horror flick, but it's infinitely better than most that come out nowadays. Psychologically AND physically, this movie wallops you in both subtle (bleak) and not-so-subtle ways. 'Open Water' isn't fun, it's sad; which is an obvious drawback to most viewers. But you get what you pay for. I won't divulge the ending. I'll just say, you can't really ever mess with Mother Nature ... she WILL take her course on her own terms and in her good time.
Daniel & Susan (Daniel Travis, Blanchard Ryan) are the couple who are stranded in the Caribbean Sea. They had hoped to go on vacation, escape their tumultuous jobs, & re-connect with each other. On the day of their disappearance, the dive instructor conducted a head count of 20 people on the boat. They dive, enjoy the underwater wonders, but the pit in our stomach is already growing because we know what will happen in a few moments. For some inexplicable reason, the dive instructor miscounted, and the boat ends their excursion thinking that all 20 are back, when there are only 18!
Dan & Susan resurface to find that their boat is gone. Had they drifted? Was there an emergency? Surely the boat will reappear in a minute ... nope. Hours & hours go by and they're still clinging on to hope for rescue. In the interim, Dan & Susan rehash old arguments, create new ones, contemplate staying in one spot or trying to swim for help, etc. All the while, boats are passing them by and they can't believe the situation they're in. They're legs are getting tired, they're minds are water-logged, they're hungry & thirsty. Things start to fall apart when some jellyfish sting them. The tangible fear that shark(s) may show up becomes a reality, and you can guess where this horror story ventures next.
Night falls, as does a hard rain. It isn't until the next morning that the dive crew finds Dan & Susan's gear on the boat. And it isn't until morning that their hotel realizes that they had never returned to their suite. In one visceral, wide-eyed scene, a shark nips at Susan (though she doesn't realize it). Later, another shark takes a larger bite out of Dan and the blood now attracts a host of other sea creatures. Fear, shock, mania & hopelessness sets in. A search team (of boats & helicopters) is sent-out to look for them, but is it too late? Why hadn't anyone noticed them missing? Can they have survived? Will they be rescued at all?
This film is basically your worst nightmare realized. It's 'the train wreck that you can't tear your eyes from'. Because almost an hour of this short film centers on the 2 characters bobbing in the water, you feel just as tired, drained, and frightened as them. It's as realistic as if you were there in the saltwater yourselves. This isn't your conventional horror flick, but it's infinitely better than most that come out nowadays. Psychologically AND physically, this movie wallops you in both subtle (bleak) and not-so-subtle ways. 'Open Water' isn't fun, it's sad; which is an obvious drawback to most viewers. But you get what you pay for. I won't divulge the ending. I'll just say, you can't really ever mess with Mother Nature ... she WILL take her course on her own terms and in her good time.