Desperate Waters

What a weird film. It's like a bunch of amateurs have been given $1m to make some art, and this is the best they could do. Yes, it's scenic and set at sea which makes it vaguely watchable, but OMG what a complete nonsense of a movie.

The character dynamics are bizarre, the script terrible, so much of this is... me thinking I would do no worse if I'd been put in charge of making this. And my job involves cutting trees down.

This should be held aloft as a case study in bad moviemaking. But it's one of those movies that's so bad, it's just about worth watching for that alone.

Hence, two stars (rather than one).

I like movies that are set on the water. This was set on a very nice sail boat sailing from California to Hawaii.

The main character is a bit of a weenie in my opinion. He's a wealthy physician whose wife of 37 years has recently passed. His grown children have recommended that he take this sailing trip as a way to clear his head and get some time to himself. However he needs help and puts an ad out for a couple of people to assist with the trip. That's where the other two characters come into play; a young couple Mike and Karen.

Mike, who is a bit of a hot head, says he has sailing experience, while Karen has none. The three get along fine to begin with, but the relationship sours as the trip continues.

As I mentioned the doctor is a mild mannered weenie. Mike is a hot head prone to jealousy, and Karen is basically eye candy. You can probably guess what happens.

At best I give this 2 stars for the setting.

How this film almost gets a 7 rating is beyond me. Now it does have some redeeming factors, yet the main problem that it is written and directed and stars the same person.

His acting, his direction and his writing all fall short.

In each category there is unevenness and sloppiness.

At times I wonder am I watching a thriller...or an unfunny black comedy?

Is this film made up as it goes along?

As that is how it looks.

Is the child in the court scene at the end just added in for fun or to give the kid a showing? What an awful screaming brat.

However:

The other two main leads in the picture give decent performances.

The scenes of the sea etc., are nice.

Story:

A professional recently widowed man trusts two bums to escort him by boat to Hawaii.

It turns out one is a nasty druggie, the other a lunatic lady.

But add in also the crazy widower!

4/10.