Review of The Shallows (2016) by Jonathan L — 31 Jul 2016

I was one of the people who had been criticized on this movie after I'd seen its trailer months ago. Till it finally hits theaters over a month ago. I didn't get to see it until today. Unfortunately, the movie was first premiered in the United States or probably in selected countries only, I'm not quite sure. But since then, I've been reading rapturous reviews about it till I decided to see it myself. In the Philippines, The Shallows is originally scheduled to be premiered on August 10th. And Fortunately, I had a privilege to see it at its 'sneak preview'(secret premiere) last night.

''The Shallows''is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, behind Liam Neeson's thrillers (Run All Night, Non-Stop and Unknown) gives us open water film we've been waiting for years.

The Shallows is about Nancy Adams (Blake Lively). A Texan adventurous girl but apparently dropped out from medical school just before becoming a doctor. She visited an secluded beach to surf her mother has told her years ago. Till she finds herself on a feeding ground of a great white shark while being stranded on a rock formation only 200 yards from shore.

I'm pretty sure most of you had already seen The Shallows. So lets talk about the things we did like and we didn't like about this movie. Lets start off with the things we liked(I didn't like it, I LOVED it). If you're looking for an excellent movie in theaters, THIS MOVIE IS FOR YOU. The Shallows shows us the face-off of between Blake Lively and the shark, one-on-one. They should have replaced the title to Blake Lively V Great white shark, thriller, don't you think?

Did I like it?

Oh boy, Blake Lively's The Shallows is Supremely Entertaining and Satisfying survival thriller of the year. I really said that!

Though the whole film took place on the Mexican coast but Jaume Collet-Serra is brilliant by trying to give us Nancy's backstory so audiences get to know her even more, and I think that is one of the elements lacks in previous shark movies we'd seen before. And Danny Boyle's style in 127 hours is clearly present in the movie. Filled with stunning cinematography, clear water shots and underwater photography.

The Best thing of the film is of course, Blake Lively who talks to herself while suturing her leg with earrings and other jewelry after being bitten by a shark. Lively shows us what she's capable of as an actress. We've known her from being an upper east side fashion Icon in Gossip Girl. The last time we'd seen her was in ''The Age Of Adaline'' where in she also gives an unforgettable performance unlike we've ever seen before from her. Here in The Shallows, she gives us a physical role and more athletic where in she suffers from dehydration and hunger, she yells and makes hilarious noises because of the pain. She is solid though, and truly dynamite.

Blake Lively has said that she was inspired by ''Buried'' in which her husband, Ryan Reynolds played a man who wakes up and trapped in a coffin. One of the things I didn't like is the moment when she was chatting with her family at home. That particular scene felt like a commercial, the choice of music feels modern too. The movie itself isn't able to sustain the suspense and the uneasy feeling ''Jaws'' leaves us. Spielberg's Jaws has been the king of Shark movies for decades. But we don't get good shark movies for a very long time. And Blake Lively is truly lively and superb here.

Over all, The Shallows is absolutely fun. I went out and thought a lot about it, it keeps coming back. I HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS MOVIE. Again, please DO NOT wait to see it on a device you can hold in your hands.