In our chaotic modernity, after the release of a mass of horror sharks (Spielberg's "Jaws" including), it is believed that the stories about the bloodthirsty inhabitants of the deep sea have already outlived themselves.
Terrible toothy sharks triumphantly marched across large screens in all sorts of ways: they were the fruits of genetic experiments, environmental disasters, even combined with the light hand of filmmakers with a tornado. However, there were also tapes in which particularly inventive directors were able to make moviegoers stay in suspense and experience genuine horror. Among such paintings are "Sandbank", "Open Sea" and "Blue Abyss". Reviews of the last tape allow us to rank it among the most successful examples of the subgenre.
Compared
Zoochoror “The Blue Abyss” (2017) cinema experts often compare the reviews of the Shoal and the Open Sea, because the project of the director and co-author of the script, Johannes Roberts, is something between these two films.
According to the authoritative opinion of experts, “Sandbank” was, in principle, a purely entertaining film with colossal elements balancing on the brink of science fiction, and the main advantage of the “Open Sea” is a deliberate proximity to reality, which has transformed into an extremely gloomy and truly hopeless ending.
According to reviews, the “Blue Abyss” harmoniously balances between these two extremes, without plunging the viewer into depression and at the same time without causing sarcastic grins while watching.
Increasing bids
The “Blue Abyss” (2017 film) received critical reviews also because Johannes Roberts has been working in the horror genre for a long time, and the movement of the main characters in an exotic setting in cinematic circles is considered to be his signature style.
Having decided to surpass the success of Shoals, Roberts boldly raises bets in his project, using practically the same ingredients as Jauma Colet-Serre. He has only two main heroines in trouble, three sea predators, and the competition in speed swimming along the bay with a shark, and the 47-meter layer of water that the heroines need to overcome, does not separate the salvation of the unfortunate - you can’t sit out on the ocean floor without the necessary air supply .
It would seem that the "Blue Abyss" received favorable reviews about the film and had every chance to repeat the triumph of "Shoals", but it wasn’t there. The project rating was IMDb: 5.90, and the viewer found a lot of weaknesses in the structure of the film.
Advantages and disadvantages
Despite the seeming primitiveness of the story underlying the movie “The Blue Abyss”, expert reviews call the script the strongest point of the picture. No wonder they say that everything ingenious is simple. Of course, the ribbon is far from genius, but simplicity, definitely, is good for it.
The situation, in which the main characters fell, can in itself frighten anyone. The author had to hold suspense without reducing the degree of tension, and periodically present the main characters - sharks to the audience.
Here sharks, or rather their almost complete absence, became the main disappointment of the audience. The film "The Blue Abyss" was criticized by the audience for the discrepancy between the subgenre and the zoochror. As many critics admit, they longed to see the terrifying sea predators, and looked at the survival tape. Sharks are presented as part of the scenery, they do not scare. You expect a completely different thing, going to the cinema to watch a tape positioned by the creators as a shark horror.
Good water thriller
According to expert estimates, Roberts created a simple but smart movie in which the dusk of the ocean depths envelops not only the characters of Lena, but also those who decided to come to watch the thrill seekers. The movie “Blue Abyss” is described by the majority of people who watched it as a decent chamber “water thriller”, in which there are expressive characters, suspense, and an unpredictable ending. However, sometimes it seems that the whole action was started for the sake of a climax. And the team working on visual effects, led by cameraman Mark Silku, solved a rather non-trivial task posed by the authors of the project.
The sincerity of the picture is added to the thumbs up plot and acting skills demonstrated by Mandy Moore and Claire Holt. The performers managed to create a dramatic on-screen duet. Unfortunately, Matthew Modine is given very little screen time, but he organically fit into the narrative as the captain of a dilapidated schooner.
No spoiler
By the way, analyzing the movie "The Blue Abyss" (2017), reviews of how the film ended are silent, maintaining intrigue. They only hint that the project of Johannes Roberts is one of those paintings that could have been completed a few minutes earlier. The film has a staggering false ending. Perhaps the director simply did not have enough creative inspiration or experience in order to preserve the drama, having adequately completed the creation. The director preferred to leave the final open, while retaining the right of the viewers to independently think out the ending.
Able to scare
As a result, the "Blue Abyss" is a project of a professional artisan. He will not amaze the imagination, but will not let you get bored - the viewer will at times “take your breath away”. Due to visual limitations, the chamber action puts pressure on the psyche and causes a pleasant tremor. At the same time, going to the cinema, you should not tune in to seeing a masterpiece, then you will not experience disappointment. But you can safely count on a good pastime.