Open Water-- Will Chill You to the Bone

...Here's a little film that should be checked out because it was in and out of theaters quicker than you can say straight-to-video...I thought it didn't get the coverage it should've and now, since it's been on video for a minute, it'll be easy to check out on the low...although a piece got printed on Blanchard Ryan one of the film's actors, the review I'd written for it never was and I didn't post it up...so I'll put it here...


...Tomorrow is promised to no one. Based on a true events, Open Water follows Susan (Ryan) and Daniel(Travis), a couple of yuppies vacationing in the islands. As the story maintains, the two are left stranded in the deep water reefs of the Caribbean by mistake when they quickly realize they're floating hors d'oeuvres - enter sea creatures. The premise alone might imply CGI-created dorsal fins but Open goes in a newer direction because all of these sharks are the real deal, yo. Floating on the surface of the tidal expanse, the couple start sweating bullets when jellyfish sting and man-eating sharks literally pop in for a snack. Chris Kentis, the film's director, makes ample use of the marine vastness, overhead camera shots and a heavy infusion of impending danger which all inform the viewer that this did NOT come from the people who brought us Deep Blue Sea. While Ryan and Travis' acting sometimes borders on the antics of the cast of (enter reality TV show name here), the real stars of OW is the ocean itself and the critters swimming around in it. The piece de resistance, as it should be, is the ending which will chill you to the quick when everything unfolds. If you think you know how this tale resolves itself you're gonna need a bigger boat - stick around when the credits roll, it's definitely worth the wait.