Open Water (2003)

OPEN WATER (2003)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

Viewed on August 20th, 2004

RATING: Three stars

We know that independent horror films ("28 Days Later," "Blair Witch Project") are always more terrifying and realistic than the standard Hollywood horror picture. "Open Water" is the latest independent horror film that could be seen as riffing on some of the primal scares of Steven Spielberg's "Jaws." The difference is that "Open Water" does something rather unique that is rarely seen in recent horror pictures - it shows the hopeless nature of a dangerous situation where survival is unlikely.

The film begins with a couple ready to go on vacation. They are Susan (Blanchard Ryan), who runs her business with cell phones and a laptop, and Daniel (Daniel Travis), her boyfriend. Their vacation consists mainly of scuba diving, but first we get to know them a little when they arrive at their hotel. Daniel wants sex but Susan is not in the mood - judging from this scene, it is clear that Susan is stronger than Daniel. The next day, the couple embark early aboard a boat full of curious scuba divers. After Daniel and Susan spend some time underwater observing an eel, they come to the surface to discover that their boat is gone! They have been stranded in the middle of the ocean. What do they do? Occasionally, a boat or two can be seen in the horizon but Daniel decides not to swim to it. Both are bitten by jellyfish. Then they discover a shark or two, glimpsed by the random fin in the water. Unfortunately, they stay in the water overnight, drifting many miles from where they were left behind. Their boat has forgotten them, and now they have to brave more sharks, jellyfish, and lethargy. At one point, Susan wakes up from having fallen asleep only to discover that Daniel is nowhere to be found! Will they ever be found? How long can they drift without food or water?

"Open Water" is based on true events that took place in Australia (and many other similar events I am sure). Don't expect "Open Water" to be a modern-day "Jaws" because sharks, despite their sense of menace throughout, are not the focus of this story. This story is about survival in the lonely, open horizon of the ocean with two people who just have their scuba diving outfits to keep them afloat and not much else. The film is dependent on a situation to make it work, and it often does. Susan wants to swim to the boats they often see in the horizon, yet Daniel would rather wave his arms for help. Susan drinks the water and gets sick. Daniel gets his leg bitten by a shark. Both Susan and Daniel start to turn on each other, blaming each other for going on this trip when they could have gone elsewhere. I liked the admittance of Susan that Daniel always wants to do things different than anyone else, like observing an eel for a longer time than necessary.

In terms of a feverish intensity based on dread and hopelessness, "Open Water" has it all and will instill an uncontrollable unease. In many ways, "Open Water" reminds me of "The Blair Witch Project" in its minimalist look and its simplicity (both shot on digital video). This is not the kind of film where false alarms and pulse-pounding music remind one to be scared. In fact, there are no special-effects in the film and the highlights, seeing an occasional shark or a lightning storm that illuminates our protagonists, are all performed and directed as it actually happened (the sharks, by the way, are very real).

My one major gripe is the introduction of the two characters, Susan and Daniel. The mini-DV camera shows close-ups of their faces and close-ups of them in their house and car - there is no room here for angles or composed shots that show normal domesticity. Compare the shot of their car leaving suburbia and the similar opening shot in Steven Spielberg's "Duel" and you'll wish that the writer-director, Chris Kentis, had opted for inventive visuals - a contrast between the ocean and the couple's house would have been nice. If nothing else, Kentis knows how to scare you in and out of the water.

Despite a short running time, one too many wild party montages, and a nudity shot that will probably get more discussion than deserved, "Open Water" succeeds in getting your nerves fried and your juices flowing. So the next time you go scuba diving, be sure they do a head count.

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