Open Water Redux

[J.R. Hudson]

Finally got around to seeing this. Loved it.

Visually, it everything everyone has said; it looks like crap. Looks like it was shot on video; looks like a home movie; but enough of that. We know it was not the mighty DVX and the gift from the gods 24p (Which the Director Chris Kentis says he wished was available when they started shooting).

I spent the first :20 minutes looking at the quailty of the footage; bad bad bad. BUt then...

I forgot it was even a VX2000. The story really works and this is a true gem in the Indie DV world. The actors Ryan (Who is kind of smokin) and Travis are wonderful; especially when the **** is hitting the fan; the tension and manicness is great.

Kentis can totoally make a film; and did. His use of framing and composition are great and serves to make you forget about the VX2000 and Lions Gate does a wonderful job on Sound Design. I used to dive (years ago) and for someone who has spent a considerable time inthe ocean; this is a creepy damn film. I have had sharks swim under me while surfing (waiting in the lineup). This is indeed a nightmare and hard to swallow.

I loved this and, you can bet I am inspired.

 

[reservoir]

The DVD transfer has the absolute WORST compression artifacts I've ever seen. I don't think this was the footage that made it look this bad....probably the transfer house. Alot of the underwater scenes have *REALLY* bad blocking effects and such. This happens alot when you shrink mpeg2 video. It especially happens when compressing Water and objects that have fluidity and alot of texture. Like when you make a backup copy of a large 8gig dvd onto a 4.7 DVD-R....you will get some blockiness and compression artifacts. But I think maybe the transfer was poorly done. The Film was shot on 2 Sony PD150's and 1 VX2000 so I don't think it's the camera's fault.

Overall I liked the movie. I had never heard the story and was very suprised by the ending. When you sit down to watch a movie like this I think you automatically assume everything will *be ok* in the end. Nice ending. Nice Sound. Nice Colors. Pretty good movie overall I thought. And to top it off it was picked up and distributed by Lion's Gate...my absolute favorite people in the biz!! ~reservoir~