August 22, 2004 -- “Open Water” is an effective suspense film about two people lost at sea without a boat. The film's vice-like grip on the audience belies its small budget, but not its independent heritage. The story is very much outside the Hollywood mainstream. The film is written, directed and edited by Chris Kentis (“Grind”). He and his wife, Laura Lau also did the cinematography. The film was made on a microscopic budget, but it looks a lot more expensive than it is.

The story is about a couple, Daniel and Susan (played by Daniel Travis, and by Blanchard Ryan of “Super Troopers”), who go on a tropical vacation. While diving off the coast, they are accidentally left behind by a tour boat. They surface to find themselves miles from shore, abandoned in shark-infested waters. They try to find a way to survive, hoping they will be missed and rescuers will come looking for them. The story is loosely based on the disappearance of Tom and Eileen Lonergan, who were last seen on a diving trip to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia in 1998. They were accidentally left behind by their tour boat.

The sense of suspense generated by this film is powerful. Part of the reason it is so effective is that the story is very believable. It has happened before and could happen again. The story is carefully constructed so there is no need for the audience to suspend its disbelief. Another reason it is so effective is that the actors were actually filmed in the ocean, miles from shore in the Bahamas. There they were in the water, surrounded by real sharks while they were being filmed. Shark wranglers threw bloody chunks of fish into the water to attract sharks to where the actors were swimming. Another reason the film works is that the actors are very believable and their dialogue is very realistic. The couple argues about whose fault it is that they got into this mess, they crack jokes, they try to be brave, they are angry, they are afraid, they can't agree on what to do next, and they still tell each other that they love one another. All this adds up to a lot of verisimilitude, and that ratchets up the suspense. I could easily imagine myself in the same situation.

This is not a horror film like “Jaws.” It is not scary, but it is gripping. The only problem I had with it is that the last half of the film is on pretty much the same note, and it is depressing. That is because this is an independent film, not a Hollywood film. It does not observe the usual Hollywood storyline conventions. Some critics will give this film a pass because of that. To me, it makes no difference. Some of the story choices were not to my liking, but I can respect the choices and I understand why they were made. That is why I'm giving this film a B rating. Don't go to this film expecting to be thrilled, excited or frightened. It isn't the kind of film that gives you vicarious thrills and chills because you can't really distance yourself from its overwhelming sense of reality. You can't dismiss it as an entertainment exercise. Instead, expect a sobering experience about raw fear resulting from hopelessness and helplessness. Expect to feel how small, powerless and insignificant human beings are when they are humbled by the vast, heartless ocean and the unnerving power of cold-blooded creatures of the deep. Expect to feel what it is like to be on the wrong end of the food chain.

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in video and/or DVD format, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

Copyright © 2004 Robert Roten. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

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