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Open Water

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Open Water (2004)

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Reviews Counted:187

Fresh:134

Rotten:53

Average Rating:6.6/10

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

[See More Credits]

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Release:

Nov 30, 1999

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Reviews for Open Water

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41 - 60 (sorted by date)
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As the characters begin to openly suffer, the movie becomes a grueling record of their pain and fear. It ultimately feels futile as well as pointlessly punishing.

Full Review Source: F5 (Wichita, KS) | comment Comment
08/25/04
Jake Euker
Jake Euker
F5 (Wichita, KS)

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Zertinet Movies | comment Comment
08/25/04
Steven Snyder
Steven Snyder
Zertinet Movies

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water again, along comes Open Water, the scariest seagoing shocker since Jaws.

Full Review Source: Boulder Weekly | comment Comment
08/25/04
Thomas Delapa
Thomas Delapa
Boulder Weekly

The Blair Shark Project is supposedly 'based on actual events' – which proves the Quentin Crisp dictum that 'even the worst movie is at least better than real life.'

Full Review Source: Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) | comment Comment
08/25/04
Ken Hanke
Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

as terrifying as anything you're likely to see this year, but not in the manner you might expect

Full Review Source: Q Network Film Desk | comment Comment
08/24/04
James Kendrick
James Kendrick
Q Network Film Desk

More inspried by gimmickry than by storytelling, Open Water never develops characters that equals the weight of their situation.

Full Review Source: Film Snobs | comment Comment
08/24/04
Jimmy O
Jimmy O
Film Snobs

While the film never truly terrified me, it did leave me thinking about the tenuous nature of human life.

Full Review Source: Lawrence.com | comment Comment
08/24/04
Eric Melin
Eric Melin
Lawrence.com

There's not much here, but Open Water capitalizes on its slightness...[lets] our imagination do most of the work of putting the actors in sharks' way.

Full Review Source: Groucho Reviews | comment Comment
08/23/04
Peter Canavese
Peter Canavese
Groucho Reviews

Suffice to say this is so unengaging that you will find yourself rooting for the sharks and the jellyfish.

Full Review Source: Worcester Telegram & Gazette | comment Comment
08/23/04
Daniel M. Kimmel
Daniel M. Kimmel
Worcester Telegram & Gazette

No special effects, no gimmicks, a tight 79-minute running time and REAL sharks is all that's needed to make viewers squirm to the edge of their seats.**

Full Review Source: Sympatico.ca | comment Comment
08/23/04
Angela Baldassarre
Angela Baldassarre
Sympatico.ca

The characters feel real, the setting feels wet, & the fatal mistakes feel huge. I was scared out of my wits, but it was highly enjoyable, and very well executed.

Full Review Source: Cinerina | comment Comment
08/23/04
Karina Montgomery
Karina Montgomery
Cinerina

The performances are punishingly realistic and are aided by the fact that the actors truly fear for their lives.

Full Review Source: Arizona Daily Star | comment Comment
08/23/04
Phil Villarreal
Phil Villarreal
Arizona Daily Star

Don't go to this film expecting to be thrilled, excited or frightened ... Expect to feel what it is like to be on the wrong end of the food chain.

Full Review Source: Laramie Movie Scope | comment Comment
08/23/04
Robert Roten
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope

I came out of this movie in shock. With a minimum or lack of special effects it managed to scare the heck out of me.

Full Review Source: Entertainment Spectrum | comment Comment
08/22/04
Vince Koehler
Vince Koehler
Entertainment Spectrum

Kudos to writer/director Chris Kentis... He really doesn't utilize much shark footage, but he certainly knows how to space it out for maximum effect.

Full Review Source: Sean the Movie Guy | comment Comment
08/22/04
Sean McBride
Sean McBride
Sean the Movie Guy

What makes Open Water an exemplary thriller is that it’s rooted in humanity.

Full Review Source: Aisle Seat | comment Comment
08/22/04
Mike McGranaghan
Mike McGranaghan
Aisle Seat

When "The Blair Witch Project" and "Jaws" are combined, you get "Open Water."

Full Review Source: Quad City Times (Davenport, IA) | comment Comment
08/22/04
Linda Cook
Linda Cook
Quad City Times (Davenport, IA)

Effectively evokes a sense of the tragic.

Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
08/21/04
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

There are no Hollywood heroes in these waters, only two regular people ... plus you and me, huddling in the dark.

Full Review Source: Toronto Star | comment Comment
08/20/04
Peter Howell
Peter Howell
Toronto Star
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

An unnerving 'What if?' scenario that you won't be able to shake -- from either your dreams or your waking thoughts.

Full Review Source: Sacramento Bee | comment Comment
08/20/04
Joe Baltake
Joe Baltake
Sacramento Bee
 
 
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