Open Water

• Directed by Chris Kentis
• October 26, 2003 (HIFF) / August 6, 2004
• Based loosely on the true story of Tom and Eileen Lonergan

An American couple goes diving while on vacation only to find themselves stranded miles from shore in shark-filled waters when the crew of their boat accidentally leaves them behind.

What comes off initially as an interesting concept with Open Water quickly becomes incredibly dull and just grating. I liked the idea of being left behind while on vacation, but the execution just did not work for me.

Perhaps it was because the actors performing were either improvising all their lines or were simply bad performers. Either way the film is carried by the characters of Susan Watkins (Blanchard Ryan) and Daniel Kintner (Daniel Travis). They are the focus and because they are trapped in the middle of the water with no one else they must carry the movie and their performances are simply stiff and lifeless. 

It doesn’t help that those characters are completely unlikable from the start. I found absolutely nothing that made me care about either of them. I would say about halfway into this movie I was hoping they would die. I was prepared for a last-minute save, but I was really hoping they wouldn’t get one. You shouldn’t be hoping the main characters die even if the scenario makes that very probable. 

At about 82 minutes Open Water feels so much longer. The narrative just drags. Once they get in the water the story becomes two people bitching at each other. And that’s to be expected that in such a situation the characters would turn on one another to some extent, but it’s not so much them turning on each other as them just bitching. Another reason I think the dialogue was improvised. The intent was clear, but the execution indicated something else.

And then there is a really stupid decision. In the opener when they realize the boat is not near them there are at least two other boats within sight and they decided to not go to either one because it might not be the right boat, and their boat wouldn’t find them when they come back. That felt to me like a forced decision to keep the characters in danger rather than a bit of flawed logic on the part of the characters. Would they really get kicked out if they said to the crew they were forgotten?

I can’t say there is much in the way of characterization. What’s the difference between the two mains? I have no idea. They are both career focused individuals who from the start don’t seem to like each other that much. They don’t hate each other but they also clearly don’t like each other that much. But who says what or feels some way over something is fuzzy as they have no distinct characteristics.

Open Water was filmed with high-definition video. I really expected it to be some kind of found footage movie, but it wasn’t and that’s yet another strike against it. If it had been found footage then that would’ve covered the cheap looking nature of the video but because it’s not a found footage movie it just looks cheap. I know that’s a bit of a fine line but given all the other strikes against this film it’s a very important fine line. 

How Open Water ever got a theatrical release or became a hit I don’t know but Open Water is 80 minutes of my life that I can never get back. Save yourself some time and do not watch.