Open Water

As I walked out of the theater today, I felt so small and fragile, not to mention I couldn't pronounce a word because I was still very impressed by what I had just seen. This is a film that sets a great example of what movie making should be today. First because it was done without special effects or computers, second because it was very nicely done in terms of lighting, camera, acting and directing and third because it made me feel exactly what the characters were feeling the whole time. I was on my car and still I was left without words. As I drove, I was complaining about how somebody's negligence can have such consequences in other people's lives and reflecting on how arrogant and cocky we get even when we are completely out of our domain, thinking we know better. I am very fund of sharks and I love to see them on film, on TV and as close as an aquarium that has them can let you see them. I just finished reading a book about the USS Indianapolis and believe me there are terrifying stories for you to imagine about survivor's experiences with the sharks, but for the very first time someone made me feel like I was really among them myself and also someone made me feel very scared of them. I was changing positions over and over on my seat during the movie because I was really feeling uneasy and frightened at times. So come and see Open Water and let this movie remind you how fragile life is and how human we are. Live the experience of helplessness, terror and impotence towards what you cant see or solve as if you were really there and your life depended on it. Congratulations to the whole crew.

This is a genuinely scary film. Basically because it's grounded (if that's the right word) in reality. It could happen. In fact, if we believe the hype that came with the film, it does - all the time.

Young couple on holiday go scuba diving in the middle of the ocean and get abandoned and left behind in shark-infested waters due to a confusion on their tour boat.

I'm really quite surprised by some of the negative comments on the IMDb so far. It's not a great film. But it's perfectly watchable, and the basic idea is absorbing enough to keep you interested to see what's going to happen next. It's certainly unusual - you won't see many films that take place almost entirely in an ocean. The acting isn't great, nor is the script and the director - in fairness - didn't have much scope to impress our eyes.

I felt the film had a very interesting atmosphere, however, and I was impressed by the fact that they resisted the temptation to go for unrealistic high-octane adventure moments, which was one of my main fears in advance of seeing it. The tension that builds does so slowly and naturally, as I think it would in reality, as the mood slowly progresses from shock and anger to fear and desperation.

It's just the right length as well, and the ending is not quite as predictable as you might assume. So don't believe the haters. It's not a life-changer, but it is a perfectly enjoyable movie.

Uses a minimalist budget, a vast outdoor setting, a very small cast, and a narrative that meticulously builds a pervasive sense of dread without giving too much away

If this was a high budget A-film it would have sharks 10 meters long, the guy would wrestle one of them with a knife and the woman would show off huge boobs all the time. Instead there are no theatrically exaggerated shark attack scenes, but totally believable, down to earth dialogs and things we would expect to happen in this situation. The ending also unexpected and non-hollywoodical. Worth watching.

An excellent example of how a very high-quality survival film can be made for a low budget. The emphasis in the film is on the development of relationships in a couple thrown into the sea. Sharks appear in moments, which is not surprising for such a budget, but closer and closer each time. This is enough to understand the hopelessness of the situation. Shots with a couple in the water and parties on the shore alternate very successfully. Everyone is having fun and is not even aware of the tragedy unfolding at the same time. The actors play great, especially given the shooting conditions. An excellent film about how people find themselves helpless and defenseless on the open sea.