Open Water aka The Blair Jaws Project (a joke made by every other reviewer save none). A nice little suspense thriller which proves yet again the Texas Chainsaw Massacre thesis that the crapper the cinematography looks, the more real the scenario seems. Filmed almost like a home video, there is a point in Open Water where you wonder why the two leads don’t just ask for a lift in the cameramans boat, so so it might stabilise it.
Simplicity is the key to Open Water’s success. There is only one question when our extremely likeable couple get into danger: will they survive? Their relationship goes through all the obvious crisis stages, yet none of it seems forced. There is little expositionary back story to come back and cause conflict, instead they seem like a slightly over-stressed young loving couple. There is no need to invent conflict, when the scenraio gives you enough tension. Instead they are stuck in the middle of the ocean, on their own, and it looks a bit scary. Between segments there are almost abstract cut scenes, some lapping waves, some moving clouds. You may know the ending already, but the film refashions its own suspense. And has a good soundtrack too. A very satisfying hour and a half.