Open Water [Blu-ray]

Having read through some of the (frankly shocking) number of negative reviews, I have to quote this from one of them which says it all really:

"The only thing which kept me watching it until the end was the hope that it would conclude with an action packed shark attack and fight with a load of sharks or something like that."

This type of person is NOT going to enjoy this film. This is not a Hollywood big budget, brainless movie. It's filmmaking, stripped to the bare bones, where empathy and allowing yourself to be drawn in is necessary.

Based loosely on a real story (Google for the true story of Tom and Eileen Lonergan), the events and plight of this poor couple is truly too awful to contemplate. One cannot begin to imagine the fear and desolation of being stranded in the middle of the Ocean with almost zero chance of being discovered. The way the film is shot draws you in, shakes you about and should you allow yourself to be immersed in, almost as if you're out there with them, you will find this one of the most terrifying films you've ever seen. It is also very disturbing.

The acting is strong from two unknowns with the female role being played particularly well. At certain points later in the film, putting yourself in her shoes will haunt you.
My only criticism is that the film is a bit too short - the water sequence is fine but we needed more time to get to know and connect with the characters before they embarked on that fateful boat trip.

If however, you are one of those people (no offence) who relies on a film to create all your stimulation without allowing yourself to use your own imagination and ability to empathise or involve yourself with it, then you will probably not enjoy Open Water.

For those who do drift away with them for 80 mins, you'll be thankful you're safe on your sofa in your nice dry living room when the credits roll.

The fact that the audience realises how vulnerable the couple are before they do (the sharks gliding beneath the sleeping woman) is perhaps the strongest element of the film.

The budget dictated that there are no big cgi effects and the film's stronger for it. We get glimpses of the prowling sharks; a fin here, thrashing tail there and watch on as the couple try and hold themselves together as the unthinkable becomes the inevitable...

A tight, tense little movie that deserves a viewing but maybe not repeated screenings.

I have just seen this film and read the reviews thinking there would be lots of positive comments.

However, I was baffled by the so many negative comments towards this film; I really don't get what this people expected from this film.

It was simply enthralling.
The most terrifying moment is when the couple realized that they were left adrift in the middle of the sea and probably there was no way back.
IMHO many people are misinterpreting this film; it has nothing to do with sharks, or how to put up a fist fight against them. It's all about survival in the middle of nowhere, in this instance in open sea water, when all hope of a rescue has vanished.

This is certainly nothing like Jaws or any other typical Hollywood production, but a real life tragedy. If the shoe was in the other foot you would understand their plight and feeling of hopelessness.

Given that this movie is based on a true story, and the two main protagonists never lived to tell the tale we will never know about the real circunstances surrounding their terrible ordeal; all we can do is speculate, and that's preciselly what the producers did. Perhaps sharks played no part whatsoever in their termination, then again we will never find out now, will we?
We can only imagine that whichever way they died it was a very horrible, slow and terrifying way to go. Just thinking about it sends a shiver down my spine. This is not just an horror movie, it's terror.

Trust me, this is really a good film.
But if you expect this couple to do a Jaws, then this one is definitelly not for you!