Review of Open Water (2004) by Ross W — 21 Jul 2017

Open water made a big splash (Ha ha) on the film circuit in 2004, and it's other simplicity allows it to retain it's progressively deepening feelings of dread and terror. The setting couldn't be more sparse - aryoung couple take a scuba diving vacation, only to find that their boat and all of its other passengers have disappeared when they resurface. They are uncertain that they're in the right spot, and to make matters worse, Night is approaching and a study current is pushing them out to sea where sharks are lurking beneath the waves ......

This is not a found footage film (thankfully) but the Internet close-ups and having the camera frequently bobbing in the water creates the same effect of putting you right there in their flippers, heightening the growing sense of dread. The two principal actors do an admirable job under very difficult conditions, even getting to drop a few lines of droll gallows humor. This is a horror film that attacks the psyche over the eyeballs.