Friday 19 August 2016

Film: 'The Shallows'

This is a must-see! The most nail-biting, suspense film I've seen this year by far - with several moments when I couldn't bear to look at the screen for fear of what might happen, and did!

In this film (Spaniard Jaume Collett-Serra is director) Blake Lively is a 20-something nurse who takes a 'pilgrimage' to the part of the Mexican Pacific coast where her mother had mysteriously disappeared a few years previously, to try to find out what happened as well as to enjoy herself surfing and swimming. (It was actually filmed in Queensland, but we can let that pass).
The suspense begins early on in the film when we are briefly shown that there's something in the sea (okay, it's an enormous shark and, boy, is it mad!) but she isn't yet aware of it. I don't want to give much more away as the tension is very successfully built up until and beyond the point that the creature reveals itself to her. For most of the film the young woman is stranded on a piece of rock just a couple of hundred yards from the shore, a rock which at high tide protrudes to little more than a couple of times more than her own body size. She's quite understandably reluctant to leave the safety of her 'refuge' and make for dry land, her only companion being an injured gull which is unable to fly. There are also some grizzly moments when she has to perform blood-saturated self-surgery on herself. (Yuk!) 

Comparisons are obviously being made with outstanding shark classic, 'Jaws', of course  - and this stands up very well against it. But whereas 'Jaws' hardly puts a foot wrong for its entire length
(despite while filming, the cast and Spielberg himself having serious doubts if the film would work), 'The Shallows' is equally sure-footed - except up to the very final scenes when my credulity was stretched to the point of slightly devaluing all that had gone before. It's a shame, that. I suppose it can be blamed on the writer, but even so it's nowhere near so crucial as to destroy the film.  It just gives a needlessly cosy finish to what could have more successfully achieved with a little more acerbity, daring and uncertainty in its conclusion.

There is a brave filmic moment when one of the minor characters meets a predictably horrible end in the shark's jaws  - and he isn't only the one. All we are shown is Blake Lively's face of horror witnessing it while we only hear the sounds of the ghastly scene. I was particularly impressed by the bold use of that technique.

Despite my reservation (yes, just the one!) I thoroughly recommend this. If I was rating 'Jaws' now I'd probably give that film an 8.5. I was initially considering rating this one with a 7.5, but I ultimately think that it deserves more than that. So it's an...............8.  

9 comments:

  1. This wasn't on my radar .... but now? I may look for it!

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    1. It's had a lot of talk about it here, Bob, and views have practically all been well positive. If you like to be wound up till you're near screaming, this is for you.

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  2. An 8? Wow Ray I would like to see this just on your 8. but then I may have nightmares. I have seen the trailers and for someone who has just had a baby she looks amazing in this film.

    How are you? I hope you are feeling better and the dentist is helping you

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    1. It really is the stuff of nightmares, Sol, and not one for those described as "of nervous disposition". If you can stand up to that then it's undoubtedly a good film.

      Thanks for asking about my condition. Actually dental works haven't even started yet, so whenever I open my mouth it's not at all a pretty sight, which is a good reason why I don't like anyone to talk to me and expect an answer, 'cos they won't like it.

      I've seen my dentist twice but because the damage was so extensive she doesn't want to go ahead with any works until my jaw's been examined by a maxillary expert - and it's that appointment which I'm still awaiting even though a request has been made as a matter of some urgency. Otherwise I'm okay. there's a constant dull pain but it's not so bad as to be distracting. I fear the real pain will begin once the dental surgery starts. So it's a case of waiting with crossed fingers.

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  3. Wasn't on my radar either Ray but it is now👍❗️😜

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    1. It's better to be seen on cinema screen, Ron, if only because you're not given the option of 'running away', like on DVD you can silence it or FF it when the tension gets too much. It's true that I couldn't bear to keep watching the screen at more than one point, but I was still a 'prisoner' in my seat. I think it's guaranteed to thrill. (I wonder if this is the kind of film that Pat can take.)

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    2. Oops! I've just seen that Pat's is the comment below. Sorry, Pat!

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  4. Hey Ray - I have to tell you I was frothing at the mouth about this film to Ron. He just forgot. An excellent thriller and so well done with limited casting and location. Lively's performance is excellent. I was quite underwhelmed with Gravity and Sandra Bullock. This film is the exact apposite tho comparisons could be make. Gravity won 7 oscars but not for best picture or actress tho it had those nominations. I certainly think that Blake Lively did and oscar award winning performance.
    Pat

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    1. Pat, I feel guilty about my needless omission above to praise Blake Lively's outstanding performance. She was certainly totally convincing every moment, carrying us along with her emotions cascading downwards. Oscar-worthy portrayal.

      I have to own up that I did like 'Gravity', and this in spite of my great scepticism towards most space-based science fiction films because of their oft-repeated inaccuracies. But I was very impressed by that one.
      But we are clearly together in liking ''Shallows', and if Ron isn't equally taken by it I'll be most surprised.

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