Open Water (2003)

Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

One of those movie experiences that is so good it makes you realize you've been grading everything else on a curve.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

Open Water is shot in an almost documentary style and with two part-time actors. Do not let these facts deter you from catching this movie wherever you can. The film is based on a true story about two scuba divers(couple) who happen to get left behind by their tour boats in shark infested waters. You know the ending of the story but the lead up to it is an exercise in creating and maintaining tension. The film is also great for budding filmmakers on how to make a cheap but good film- this was made for a mere 120,000 dollars. Do not miss it, even if you have a fear of sharks.

Open Water is shot in an almost documentary style and with two part-time actors. Do not let these facts deter you from catching this movie wherever you can. The film is based on a true story about two scuba divers(couple) who happen to get left behind by their tour boats in shark infested waters. You know the ending of the story but the lead up to it is an exercise in creating and maintaining tension. The film is also great for budding filmmakers on how to make a cheap but good film- this was made for a mere 120,000 dollars. Do not miss it, even if you have a fear of sharks.

Seriously, this reminds me of that stupid Ryan Reynolds movie where the guy is buried alive, thinks he is going to get rescued, and ends up buried alive.So, two people are left behind in the water, struggle to survive, and then are eaten alive/drown. Isn't that nice? This is what you invest your time in, watching people flounder and die horribly.What kind of people come up with this dreck, and who green lights it? How much better this could have been if being adrift was just part of the adventure, and maybe they do get rescued, but by some evil creeps that they have to figure out how to get away from.See, I improved it 500% in just a few minutes. But no, Hollywood is so brain dead, and audiences are so brain dead they'll just watch anything, no matter how morbid, dreadful and senseless it is.Screw this movie, and the people that enjoy films like this.

It's hard to make a good shark movie, that's why the list of them is so very short in my opinion. The vast majority of them are so implausible and outlandish they border on unwatchable. On the other hand, making a plausible one that depicts accurate shark behavior would be, well, boring. Fact is sharks just don't bother people all that often.And this is exactly what sets "Open Water" apart from every other shark movie out there. This is realistic a scenario, but it's anything but boring. Not only is it plausible, it's based on a true story. (*minimal spoilers for those who haven't seen it yet*) The actual fate of the real people the film used as inspiration remains a mystery, this is one possible scenario the film chose to portray.The movie utilizes a very minimalist approach to the filmmaking, and this is stunningly effective. Most camera angles are at eye level,moving up and down with the water swells, making the moviegoer feel as if he/she is adrift in the water next to them. The film is largely visual, very little music is added and the dialogue is intermittent, adding to the realism and further intensifying the feeling of being adrift and helpless in the open ocean.No "Sharknado" CGI or "Jaws" rubber sharks in this movie, all of the shark footage is the real thing. No giant menacing great white, the sharks shown are more common, smaller reef and pelagic species, which is most likely what would be encountered in a situation like this. Their behavior is spot on...casually coming and going, inquisitive animals, appearing closer and closer in ever increasing numbers. No huge sharks ripping people to shreds and eating them....none needed here. Simply the presence of sharks in the water and the films outstanding ability to put you right there with them is more than enough to create a very unsettling experience for the audience. The first small shark that breaches the water and splashes in front of you is one of the most intense and effective jump scares I've ever experienced in any movie."Open Water"'s accurate portrayal of real shark behavior, combined with its outstandingly effective methods of putting you directly into the situation create what is easily the most unsettling and frightening shark movie ever made.