Deep Blue Sea

A movie by Renny Harlin

With Thomas Jane, Saffron Burrows, Samuel L. Jackson and others

Monika says:

If you always knew that genetic egineering is evil DEEP BLUE SEA will reinforce that conviction.

A group of scientists is working on a miraculous cure for Alzheimer’s disease. The precious serum is gained from shark brain cells. The lab is on an isolated artificial island in the middle of the Pacific and naturally heavily guarded. But not just since JURASSIC PARK we know that modern technology is not infallible and human failure is always a possibility. Not to mention human ambition that drove more than one man or woman to deeds they came to regret later. Unfortunately the regular shark brain doesn’t produce enough serum. Therefore Dr. Susan McAlester (Saffron Burrows) secretly begins to help Nature along by genetic manipulation that makes the sharks’ brains larger. That has the undesired side effect that they become bigger and smarter, smart enough not to be satisfied with their lab rat existence anymore.

And that makes for the perfect scenario for a disaster movie. Renny Harlin, however, serves a fish soup that already started to smell. Add a pinch of JURASSIC PARK, a pinch of SPHERE, a pinch of DAYLIGHT and a generous helping of JAWS, stir vigorously and hope for a wholesome outcome. But if you don’t use fresh ingredients you won’t become a great chef or win an Oscar. DEEP BLUE SEA is by no means boring and the special effects are well done. If you don’t ask for more you can have a good time with this movie. Just don’t expect intelligent dialogues. Obviously the script writer hoped for the computer generated special effects to make up for everything else. The cook is the involuntary hero - now where have we seen that before? When his little feathered friend became shark fodder in the end some viewers may have wished the same fate for him.

All in all Renny Harlin made do with a remarkably low number of actors, most of whom didn’t even last the whole movie. The money saved on actors’ salaries was available for additional special effects. It doesn’t really matter whether you give your sympathy to the luckless sharks or the little likeable protagonists. It will only influence your opinion about the ending, that I of course will not give away.

Any comments? Write us:

Monika Hübner

Last changes: 27/04/03