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Open Water (2004)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:37
Fresh:29
Rotten:8
Average Rating:7/10
Consensus: A low budget thriller with some intense moments.
Runtime: 81 mins
Genre: Horror/Suspense
Theatrical Release:Aug 6, 2004 Limited
Box Office: $30,500,882
Synopsis: Proving that the power of imagination is much more terrifying than what meets the eye, OPEN WATER is Chris Kentis's intensely realistic deep-sea drama, "based on true events." The film's leering... Proving that the power of imagination is much more terrifying than what meets the eye, OPEN WATER is Chris Kentis's intensely realistic deep-sea drama, "based on true events." The film's leering digital video camera allows viewers to float like shark-bait, stranded in the middle of the ocean with Susan and Daniel (Blanchard Ryan and Daniel Travis), a bickering married couple who have just been abandoned by their scuba-diving boat in the Caribbean. As the tension escalates between the troubled twosome--who are cold, tired, dehydrated, and more than a little scared--the tragedy of the situation is exacerbated by a series of very unfortunate conditions. While a current sweeps them far from where the boat left them, and deep dark clouds pass menacingly overhead, the sea-life just below the surface is clearly not of the friendly variety. Yes, those are real sharks, folks. Meanwhile, Daniel, who watched Shark Week on television, is no stranger to the perils at hand, and finds himself battling shock. Minutes pass like hours, with the light shifting on the water and the constant motion of the waves adding to this unfathomable nightmare. The shimmering blues of wide expanses of sea are offset by dazzling underwater photography, yet the mood remains bleak. And while no special effects, abrupt developments, or abrasive gore are present here, the film instills such fear that viewers will be frozen awaiting the surprising conclusion. A day at the beach will never be quite the same again. [More]
Starring: Blanchard Ryan, Daniel Travis, Saul Stein, Estelle Lau
Starring: Blanchard Ryan, Daniel Travis, Saul Stein, Estelle Lau, Michael E. Willimson, Christina Zenarro, Jon Charles
Director: Chris Kentis
Director: Chris Kentis
Producer: Laura Lau
Studio: Lions Gate Films
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Reviews for Open Water
There are no Hollywood heroes in these waters, only two regular people ... plus you and me, huddling in the dark.
Considered in its ham-handed entirety, Open Water feels more of an exercise in cinematic sadism.
Terrifying precisely because it doesn't go in for cheesy shock tactics and special effects.
The unforgiving power of nature are all on display to amazing, and frightening, effect.
We, the audience, shuffle out of the theater, feeling drained and punished.
As the clock ticks on, the sharks thresh and the dialogue continues to stagnate, you might just catch yourself wickedly thinking: Come on sharks, let's do this.
The nagging desire to help these people underscores the involvement of the audience in this superbly told story. You can almost taste the saltwater, and the fear.
It should make you think hard about assuming only a big, effects-driven adventure can really give you your money's worth.
A low-budget indie film whose tension and realism are augmented by unknown actors who fully inhabit their roles.
If you want to be consumed by special effects, go to any of the many formulaic thrillers in theaters these days. If you want to feel the real chill of fear, go for a swim.
The real achievement here belongs to a director who understands that economy (in storytelling as well as in budget) can work in his favor.
Although the movie was produced with few frills, Kentis keeps you watching. He adds to the tension gradually, and by the end, you're gripping the arms of your seat, wondering whether this pair will be rescued before, um, lunchtime.
I'm here to tell you that Jaws is nothing. Jaws is now merely Flipper: Episode 127.
What differentiates Open Water from similar stories recounted endlessly on cable television's Shark Weeks is its scrupulous avoidance of anything remotely contrived.
Wrings every possible drop of tension out of a simple premise and a micro budget.
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