The Big Blue (1988)
Two men answer the call of the ocean in this romantic fantasy-adventure. Jacques and Enzo are a pair of friends who have been close since childhood, and who share a passion for the dangerous sport of free diving. Professional diver Jacques opted to follow in the footsteps of his father, who died at sea when Jacques was a boy; to the bewilderment of scientists, Jacques harbors a remarkable ability to adjust his heart rate and breathing pattern in the water, so that his vital signs more closely resemble that of dolphins than men. As Enzo persuades a reluctant Jacques to compete against him in a free diving contest -- determining who can dive deeper and longer without scuba gear -- Jacques meets Johana, a beautiful insurance investigator from America, and he finds that he must choose between his love for her and his love of the sea.
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Excellent, Without a doubt!!
Excellent, a Must See
It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.
It isn't all that great, actually. Really cheesy and very predicable of how certain scenes are gonna turn play out. However, I guess that's the charm of it all, because I would consider this one of my guilty pleasures.
Movie Review: "Le grand bleu" (1988)Being the opening film of the Cannes Film Festival on May 11th 1988 in its 41st edition, young, talented and promising director Luc Besson, not yet 30 years of age, already coming to full flourishment in proper exercised cinematic language in color, camera motion and acting beats with fellow casting members Jean-Marc Barr, Jean Reno and Rosanna Arquette struggling within the element of water to find purpose in life, concerning deeper and deeper pushed limits in open water free diving challenges, when suspense works to hyper-realistic conclusions beyond the usual love theme under an hypnotic soundtrack by exceptional composer Eric Serra alongside Besson's directions of utmost passion for his source material felt in every scene of the motion picture.Copyright 2018 Cinemajesty Entertainments LLC
There are times when you can not explain things. I really recommend not to read this before you watch. No, this review does not contains spoilers, but it does contain all the unexplainable feelings, emotions. I can immediately love someone and be a friend if he/she loves this movie. Also I most definitely might not be a good friend who dislikes. Yes sometimes some people might dislike banana, chocolate, Michael Jackson or The Big Blue... From the very beginning you are set to hypnotized mood until the final scene. Since 1988 I feel like a relative to Jean Reno, Jean Marc Barr and Luc Besson. I even dreamed acting on The Big Blue 2 (as the son of Jacques Mayol). :))So my friends I am glad to meet you here and we are best friends forever.
'Le Grand Bleu' is unlike any Luc Besson film I've ever seen and what a movie it is! It's also one of the most difficult movies to define with a few words. For one thing, the trailer is misleading as it gives the interpretation that this is going to be some underwater adventurous horror flick which this movie definitely isn't. It's also one of the hardest movies to categorize because what is it really? A love story? Yes but certainly not the typical boy meets girl kind. The love story here is between a man and a woman who gave up everything for the sake of love, between two friends, between a man and his only family whose picture he carries in his wallet, between man and the sea and it continues. Is it a thriller? It has elements of a thriller but not the kind with jumps and silly twists. The viewer is so engaged and involved in the characters' lives that you simply are left with little choice but to follow them. Is it an adventure movie? Yes, definitely but it's not another James Bond or Indiana Jones, you'll see why. It has a few elements of science fiction. I could go on and on but as my time is limited at the moment, I'll continue with the technical aspects.'Le Grand Bleu' is a character driven, story driven and atmospheric piece. Besson's direction and writing are exceptionally remarkable.I saw the extended version which is about a good two hours and forty minutes but not for a single moment was I bored. It just flows beautifully. The visuals are mesmerizing (thanks to the superb cinematography, art direction, locations and lighting), the atmosphere is captivating and the score is wonderful.The characters are excellently defined. The title role is stunningly portrayed as being seductive, mysterious, alluring, limitless and above all, free. All the actors do a commendable job. Every actor who is given a speaking part (including the dolphins) does full justice to their character. The three leads, Jean-Marc Barr, Jean Reno and Rosanna Arquette are outstanding.There's passion, romance, adventure, freedom but above all 'Le Grand Bleu' is about love. It has a very laidback and calming feel to it and I would suggest to make yourself comfortable and watch this on a big screen television with great sound system and prepare yourself to experience something cinematically extraordinary.
This movie has become part of my psyche. With very few words from the protagonists, the film manages to leave the viewer with a philosophy to challenge every day norms of thinking about existence and the meaning and value of life.There are pictorial essays about nature, the environment and man's place in the world. There are subtle hints at the possibility of returning to simpler modes of life style and alternative/counter-culture.There is a very clear theme of respect for others and respect for nature.There is also a wonderfully gentle reminder that not every editorial of the mind is worthy of publishing. Sometimes that which is left unsaid has a greater impact than the spoken word.I truly love this film and I am grateful to its makers for bringing it to life.