Open Water (DVD, 2004)

Blair Witch meets Jaws. There's your sales pitch.

Open Water is another of those little independent phenomenon’s that people will either love or hate. Lately, we've had a lot of them - and that, by the way, is a good thing. It speaks to the fact that many people are getting tired of the Hollywood machine and looking toward the more creative side of story and directing.

In 1992, we had Pulp Fiction, a few years ago we had The Blair Witch Project, and earlier this year we got Napoleon Dynamite, all of which polarized audiences into a love it or hate it attitude. Now, we get Open Water, which while not as good as the above mentioned movies, has managed to garner the same reaction.

A busy couple go on vacation to a beach somewhere, have a good time, and decide to go scuba diving. Due to a "head count" mishap on the boat, the couple gets stranded in the water without anyone really noticing they are gone. No, not even the scuba squad, now missing two very expensive air tanks and have two extra bags just hanging around on their boat. But nevermind all that. The couple, surprisingly, takes all this in stride in the beginning - figuring they will be picked up in no time when those on the boat realize they've forgotten them. Unfortunately for our couple, they are such unnoticeable people - nobody does. The current begins to take the couple further out to sea, where the sharks are just waiting for some human chum.

My main issue with the movie, aside from a few moments of flawed logic, comes from the use of digital video. The entire movie is shot with it, likely to give it a more realistic feel, since this is very loosely based on real events. Now, while I believe this technique worked with the horror mocumentary of "Blair Witch," it is just plain distracting in this film until the actors get into the water. This is a movie - never is it ever portrayed as a "documentary" type film. So, in the beginning moments, it makes it look so cheap that it becomes noticeable in the opening moments.

However, once the tension begins to build as the two float in the water, you begin to notice it less and less. The acting is well done for two unknowns. And, yes, this is a gimmick movie. But at only 79 minutes, the gimmick lasts just long enough so it doesn't over stay it's welcome. And the ending will stay with you.

On the DVD, you get a crew commentary and a cast commentary, which, with the way this was filmed, should be interesting. You also get two little featurettes on the indie essentials on marketing a movie and a making of - both of which are ho-hum. Still, this film does deserve a look if you're into seeing someone take a chance and try to be creative.