Open Water

The results is a rather bizarre attempt to make a documentary drama. Chris Kentis tries to evoke the situation of two people trapped in the settlements of the high seas using the minimalist means of a hand-held camera, but I dare say that the vast majority of the drama of the story comes from the situation itself, not from its rendering. There is not much to take from in the processing itself - the two obviously have nothing to talk about, momentary quarrels interspersed with hesitant confessions of love will hardly lift the audience out of their seats, especially when the acting is very average. The absolute nail in the coffin of the atmosphere are the aberrant cuts and details of various representatives of tropical fauna and flora, the resort's nightlife and the shoddy complementary scenes from the mainland, which give the impression that an inquisitive German tourist filmed them for the family archive (right next to the naked asses of beach beauties). It’s no wonder, then, that the potentially very promising drama turned into a shapeless mess with several sharks, the empty chatter of two actors and a below-average design. (13/12/2006)

This film could have definitely been better, it could have been more dramatic and action-packed, even though this pace is good. Just from a documentary style perspective, it's not completely it, and even from a film perspective, you won't have the right enjoyment. I think something like this can be filmed very qualitatively and effectively, but it would still need a slightly better script and much better execution. (19/11/2013)

I don't know how it was for the two newlyweds who chose a honeymoon vacation combined with scuba diving, and the boat crew only remembered them after 2 days. I don't know what it was like for these two people, whose story director Chris Kentis decided to make this film based on. However, Kentis disgustingly squashed the incredibly promising subject matter with his unimaginative and soulless direction and even worse editing. The 79-minute runtime passes quickly, but the film's content is highly contradictory. After fifteen minutes, people get into the water and the drama begins. The protagonists are put through a real test. The audience really empathizes with them and waits to see how their situation will unfold. Then comes a rough cut, and we see the couple arguing, accusing each other of everything possible, and then another cut, and all is well again. They tell each other how much they love each other and that it will all work out. After it was over, I was nearly beside myself with rage when I realized the potential Chris Kentis held in his hands. If he had at least developed the psychology of the two people a little by going in and out of the argument through small cues, it might also have given the film a real cinematic dimension. The way it is makes it come across as an unsympathetic and poorly edited documentary. The digital camera (which also changes about four angles) also didn’t help. That may be modern today, but the attempt for a rawer image doesn't always go as planned. Kentis didn't manage to achieve it at all. All things considered, Open Water could have become a cult classic because, compared to Jaws (which is a spectacular spectacle in comparison to this), no similar film has emerged since then. But on the other hand, it must be acknowledged that Kentis' intention was truly commendable, and the zeal with which he shot the film was remarkable. Unfortunately, I'm interested in the final product, which seems like a bad joke, much like the shot of the cooked shark under the closing credits. (12/11/2004)

With the authenticity of a documentary, this feature film offers a central acting duo who are not in any way likable and a screenplay that doesn’t let us get to know them better. And the camera revolves only around her for fifty minutes as she argues on the surface of the ocean or, conversely, comforts herself with declarations of love. The feelings of anxiety and isolation work here, but thanks to the lack of dramatic twists, the film flows terribly slowly and seems hollow. And it is completely killed by the ending, which absolutely negates the authenticity that was the source of the film’s overall appeal! (08/11/2004)