Friday Throwback: Deep Blue Sea

For a new segment, I am going to have a look back at movies that I loved as a kid. However, instead of reviewing them as I remember them, I am going to rewatch them. This will either bring back fond memories or make me reassess my childhood. Either way this is going to be fun!

Deep Blue Sea (1999)

Directed by: Renny Harlin. Starring: Thomas Jane, Saffron Burrows, Samuel L. Jackson, LL Cool J, and Stellan Skarsgard.

The first movie I am reviewing in this series is Deep Blue Sea. This was probably my favourite movie as a teenager. I mean what more was there to love than massive sharks ripping people to shreds. I realised that my teen years were significantly influenced by fictional characters named Carter. I wanted to be a doctor as a result of Dr. Carter on ER. Then my back-up profession was shark handler because of Thomas Jane’s character, Carter. I thought he was the baddest motherfucker around. The cold opening is set-up to show the power and ferocity of the sharks, however, all it does it prove how much of a bad ass Carter is. Then when he takes the license plate out of the tiger shark, whooooo, I am all flustered now. I am considering a career change. 

Upon reviewing, I realised that all the characters in the movie hate each other. Everyone hates Saffron Burrows even though she is dead set keen to save millions of lives. Carter just sort of grunts and snarls at everyone, but that is why he is such a badass. Then everyone is super hostile towards Samuel L. Jackson even though he is keeping the entire operation afloat. The only person who likes anyone is the blonde girl. Like is too soft of a word though, more like LOVES everyone. When she is introducing everyone to Jackson she is “You met Saffron, I know you don’t like each other but we are BFF’s. Then there is Carter. He hates everyone but he is my other BFF. Then there is my boyfriend, Stellan Skarsgard. He hates me but I love him.” 

Another thing I noticed is that, SPOILER ALERT, essentially every death is avoidable. Stellan loses his arm because he thinks the shark is a cat and goes to pet it. Jackson makes his speech right next to the wet entry. Simply stepping three steps forward would have saved his life. That other guy, who looks familiar but I can’t remember where he is from, attracts the sharks by conducting a wetty warmer. The positive is that he distracted the sharks from Carter. Finally there is Saffron. She attempts, and succeeds, to attract the shark by cutting her hand so it will smell the blood. The method works but just dip your hand in the water, don’t jump in you stupid idiot. The only death that seems unavoidable is the blonde girl’s, however she is probably just trying to make friends with the shark but it misunderstands her.

I have a theory about this movie after re watching; it is part of the Planet of the Apes universe. Both this film and Rise of the Planet of the Apes look into Alzheimer’s research. So I believe that Stellan Skarsgard is John Lithgow from Rise’s brother, and hence James Franco’s uncle, and they are both working on the same project. The result ends up being the same, an ultra-intelligent animal running a muck. This made me think, which animal would I prefer to be the result of the botched research, the monkeys or the sharks. The obvious choice seems to be the monkeys because sharks are obviously much scarier. However, I believe the answer is the sharks. I mean with the sharks you simply just don’t go in the water. The monkeys can take over the land, which is much more frightening.

Overall: I could talk about this movie for hours. I still didn't mention how completely bonkers it is, that LL Cool J is in it, or how everyone needs to finish their drink because the title is mentioned in the film. God I love this movie, 4 Stars