Deep Blue Sea Review
by "Choo Eng Aun, Jack" (chooea AT mbox3 DOT singnet DOT com DOT sg)September 1st, 1999
DEEP BLUE SEA
(1999)
Reviewed by Jack Choo
Directed by Renny Harlin
Starring : Samuel L. Jackson, Saffron Burrows, LL Cool J
Running Time : 1hr 50mins (approx)
Rating : ***1/2 out of *****
JAWS REVISITED . AGAIN!
Now, lets first look into the history of Shark films. There was the unforgettable JAWS. The exciting JAWS 2. The rather flaky JAWS 3D and sometime in the late 90s another film of the same genre that I can't seem to recall (about the son of JAWS returning to wreak revenge or something like that). Now, with the magic of CGI, one shark is simply not enough; in DEEP BLUE SEA, there are 3 big, mean and really smart ones!
Russell Frankiln (Jackson) visits Aquatica (a sea-bound research center), where a research is being conducted on the extraction of a hormone substance found uniquely within the shark brain that can cure and reverse the effects of Alzheimer's disease. The substance is small in quantity and because of this, lead researcher Dr. Susan MacAlaester genetically alters the shark DNA and grows them twice the size with brains as big as humans, naturally producing more of the much treasured hormones.
As sure as the sun sets in the west, a shark breaks lose and wreaks havoc within the facility during a hormone extraction procedure. With the flexibility offered by CGI, the sharks get more full-length screen time as their predecessors did in those remote-controlled rubber suit days. Gone are the days of people getting pulled under the water with the water turning red right after. This time, we get to see the entire gobbling action, with floating limbs and all.
So-so acting, expected in most of your average action film. Jackson (fresh from his Jedi Master role in THE PHANTOM MENACE), takes on the dark-side force of a different kind and fits well with his wise-cracking lines. LL Cool J's cook role as Preacher, does for this film what Steven Seagal's cook could only dream to achieve in his two UNDER SIEGE films.
DEEP BLUE SEA does not offer any of the psychological thrills that JAWS has to offer. It does however, prove to be a refreshing follow-up within the genre, full of visual thrills, suspense and believe it or not humour! Its like JURASSIC PARK under water.
Nothing too stressful, pure entertainment. Renny Harlin, you are forgiven (for making CUTTHROAT ISLAND).
Visit my film reviews site ! http://members.tripod.com/jackchoo
Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
