Alerta en lo profundo

I have read all of the other comments about Jaws vs Deep Blue Sea and no one has mentioned the biggest connection of all. THE LICENSE PLATE THEY TAKE FROM THE SHARK IN DEEP BLUE SEA IS THE SAME ONE THEY CUT OUT OF THE SHARK ON THE DOCK IN JAWS.

I saw DBS for $2.50 on the big screen (cheaper than renting it on video), and on that day I was desiring nothing more than a dumb action flick that would entertain me for about 100 minutes. That's what I got, so I was satisfied.

Still, under different circumstances (higher admission price, wanting something more out of a movie on the day of seeing it, etc.) I probably wouldn't have liked it. The characters were really thin - you hardly learned a thing about them, and they were pretty much interchangable. The dialogue was weak and cliched. The sharks - supposedly intelligent - didn't get much of a chance to show their supposed intelligence. The sets were okay, but still had a look to them that suggested that extra money could have polished them up. The characters commit some really stupid actions along the way.

Wait until you are in the right frame of mind, and it's free or at a low price. Chances are then you'll be acceptably entertained.

If 'Jaws' and 'Alien' had a baby, that baby would probably look a lot like Deep Blue Sea', a big, loud, dumb action movie that doesn't try to pretend to be anything else. It's short on logic, the dialog is dumb, most of the actors don't seem to be trying very hard, and the science is dubious at best, but despite all that, 'Deep Blue Sea' manages to entertain.

The plot of the movie is simple: a group of scientists at an undersea research facility are on the verge of discovering a cure for Alhzheimer's disease. How? By meddling about with the brains of live sharks (don't ask). Things are going swimmingly, until Mother Nature grows tired of having some of her creations tampered with. One typhoon and several gratuitous explosions later, the scientists find themselves cut off from the surface of the facility and at the mercy of a group of sharks that are smarter than the average fish. It seems that those meddling scientists made the sharks smart, and they're about to pay for their folly. With the base flooding and sharks roaming the corridors, the survivors find themselves in a race for survival.

For the most part, 'Deep Blue Sea' works fairly well, and there are some good jolts and action sequences, but at the same there's nothing here that's particularly fresh. However, there is one death that is so unexpected and surprising, you might find yourself hitting the 'back' button on the DVD remote to make sure you weren't seeing things.

'Deep Blue Sea' is not an actor's movie, but most of the cast acquits itself fairly well. Rapper LL Cool J does a good job with what could be a clichéd character (the religious man who struggles with his faith under dire circumstances), and injects the role with humanity and humor. He also has a very memorable encounter with a shark in a kitchen. Thomas Jane has the 'action hero' part, and he's solid, but unspectacular. Saffron Burrowes is okay as the lead scientist, and she's not above stripping down to her undies if the situation calls for it. But once again, no one will be watching 'Deep Blue Sea' for the acting. The sharks are the stars, and everyone involved with the movie knows that.

'Deep Blue Sea' is not a classic movie, but it delivers in its own modest way. If you can't get enough movies about people and the sharks that eat them, you can do much worse than this.

Fun film with a good story, great pace and action. One of the best shark "tales" you will encounter. Its not Jaws, but it's pretty high up there. 8/10

The problem with shark films is that, once you hear about it, people immediately think of Steven Spielberg's masterpiece Jaws. So how do you approach a shark film without repeating Jaws? The answer is Deep Blue Sea.

Researchers and scientists harvest brain fluids from sharks for a cure for Alzheimer's disease, but unknown to the other scientists, Dr. Susan McAlester(Saffron Burrows) and Dr. Jim Whitlock(Stellan Skarsgard) violated the code of ethics and genetically engineered the sharks to increase their brain size, with the side effect of the sharks getting smarter and bigger.

In a genre full of clichés, this film at least keeps you guessing here and there. What director Renny Harlin establishes is that anyone can die, the whole cast is expendable, and ultimately fodder. However, in doing so he at least allows you to get to know the characters before they're shark food, some more than others. One can understand why Dr. McAlester is so driven for a cure, but ultimately it's all her fault for the events that take place in the film. Thomas Jane is good in the role Carter Blake, who is a shark wrangler. He also somehow magically dodges every shark that comes towards him and rides on their fins like Aquaman. Almost unrealistic, but the movie is so fun you just kinda go along with it and Jane handles the actions scenes quite well. Plus he holds his breath under water like no human can which can be impressive, but again a bit of a stretch. LL Cool J and Michael Rapaport provide sharp wisecracks and provide the film's humor. Samuel L. Jackson also has a decent supporting role as Russell Frankin, the research team's financial backer.

The shark deaths are brutal and unforgiving and may make some uneasy. The problem with this film is that, although the shark attacks are effective, it tries a lot to make you uncomfortable and it becomes too one-noted. Of course in a film like this it's expected. The whole time you have no idea who is going to die next, and those sharks are relentless and a lot more vicious. Director Renny Harlin effectively uses the timing, suspense and the element of surprise so kudos to him. The shark puppets look great, but the same cannot be said for the cgi shark effects, it's dated and doesn't hold up.

Deep Blue Sea is pure popcorn entertainment. The film doesn't necessarily bring anything new to the table, but again it keeps you guessing and at times it keeps you on the edge of your seat. It's an effective shark film, and it tires to be a good film. That's something I can appreciate.

6.5/10