A very effective shark nightmare from Australia
Man, I really needed that. I was kind of tired tonight because I stayed up kind of late, and was actually worried that I was going to pick a film that could not hold my interest. The last two films I have watched have been a chore, so I was hoping to break that streak...man did this film ever do that! It has just about everything I love in a film, and never a dull moment. This is a constantly compelling film with nail-biting suspense that just does not let up. And guess what...it's actually SCARY!
I have been following a certain pattern with my reviews, but I want to make sure I give everyone in this film their due. A little about the film now. We are introduced to Luke (Damian-Walshe Howling) his friend Matt (Gyton Grantley), Matt's girlfriend Susie (Adrienne Pickering) and Matt's sister Kate (Zoe Naylor). Some are from London (Matt and Susie) and some are from Sydney (Kate and Luke), but they all just want to go out on a sailboat for some fun and relaxation. But this is a horror movie, and after we see a few scenes of them exploring the deep, they run into a bit of trouble when the sailboat hits a reef and capsizes. What was once a fun time is now a nail-biting fight for survival, because the sailboat is sinking slowly and it is not in an area where planes fly. Luke and the others were on an island earlier, but their boat also hit a reef (this is probably not the best place to be "having fun". And they have a choice, they can either stay on the boat and hope that help comes, or they can risk swimming back to that island. Only one thing, Warren the sailor of the boat (played by Keiran Darcy Smith), says that no way is he going in the water...there are sharks out there. Kate agrees, but eventually joins Luke and rest to try to get to the island to get help. Warren is left to an unknown fate. What follows is some of the best suspense I have seen in a long time...the ocean is vast and the things in the ocean are all around...some of them have fins. Can they get to the island before the ocean claims them as victims?
First off, this movie is beautiful. The cinematographer (Daniel Ardilley) composes some breathtaking views of the ocean, both above and below. I was reminded of the forest beauty in the thriller Eden Lake as I was watching this. Both of the films really take advantage of the beauty of their environments. And it really makes you think, "how can something so beautiful, be so deadly?" But it is, and there are scenes of pure claustrophobia and then scenes that really make you afraid of the open water. The water so vast, and the people in it so tiny, as to overwhelm them.
The cast is fantastic. Everyone is believable, and these are people that are just victims...we don't want to see anything bad happen to them. But, nature does not discriminate in who it chooses. True there are some moves by a certain character that sort of seal their fate, but I don't know what I would have done in that situation either. It was literally a "sink or swim" moment, and they made the wrong choice. Survival of the fittest on display. The suspense in this film is just nerve-wracking and very well done. The fear is palpable...what was that splashing in the water? Director Andrew Traucki really knows how to frame his shots for maximum impact. A capsized cabin becomes an exercise in "is he safe or not" terror. And once things start happening, it's pretty unrelenting. I was on the edge of my seat, especially the last 20 mins. Also, especially effective is a recurring scene where Luke will look with goggles on, just under the surface of the water for any unwelcome visitors. The thrashing about of arms and legs, creates all these bubbles that make it difficult for he and us to see just what that is in the distance...and it's terrifying! Music is used sparingly, and I feel this is a good choice, as the sound of the sea itself can be as ominous as any symphony.
I really don't want to say to much more about this film. I will tell you, that I was groggy going into it ,but soon after I saw the amazingly beautiful scenery and the great acting, I just got sucked in. You really want these people to make it, and that to me is a sign of proper directing. I was in Florida just a few weeks ago, and when I was in the water, I never felt completely comfortable. I kept remembering all those shark attacks, and the water was full of debris from the hurricane. Stuff kept bumping into me and it was unnerving at times. If I had seen this movie beforehand...I think I would have taken my chances on the beach!
A brilliantly shot, well executed, deep sea nightmare, with nail-biting suspense and great acting.
9 out of 10
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