Greetings,
Well, it's kind of hot and humid where I live, and I'm suffering from Shark Week withdrawals. What better way to remedy that than by going to an air conditioned movie theater to see The Shallows!
I must say, I have been interested in seeing this film since I saw the first trailer. Oh, and by the way, if you've only seen the first trailer, keep it that way. The subsequent one gave away a bit too much of the plot. But I'm not here to review the trailer, just the movie. And, frankly, it was pretty great.
The film centers around a young woman named Nancy who is dealing with the death of her mother and heading off to a not very well known beach in Mexico. She's going there because it was a place her mom told her about. After a day of surfing alongside some friendly locals that she meets, Nancy is attacked by a shark and finds herself alone and injured badly, clinging to life on something that can barely be called a tiny island. Well, alone, save a wounded seagull that she befriends...and names Steven. I know that sounds sappy, but trust me, it's one of the best things about the movie. Anyway, we follow her as she tries to brave the elements, stay alive and save herself, all while being stalked by the shark. No, really. This shark is a super jerk. You will hate him. Seriously, though, this is just a great story of survival and the human spirit done in an excellent way, and I really enjoyed it.
So, let's get even more specific about the things I liked, starting with the cast. It's Blake Lively. That's about it. She plays Nancy, and aside from a few other characters showing up briefly, she is the only person we really get to know, because she is carrying this whole film. And did she succeed? Well, I have only one thing to say about it - this chick is AWESOME! I have to admit, at the beginning of her career, I was never too sure about Blake Lively. I certainly never disliked her, but it's like I was waiting for her to really go Ka-Boom as an actress. Well, over the years, she has been getting better and better, and finally, with this movie...Ka-Boom!
No lie. She thoroughly impressed me here. To say nothing of how physically grueling this job must have been, her expressions and the way she shows emotions of fear and horror and hope just overwhelmed me. I was totally with her the whole time, completely rooting for her to make it. And that is such a nice thing to experience since so many of these movies where people are trying to survive are full of unlikable characters who you almost want to die. Not here, though. She is just amazing, and you're cheering her on the whole way.
What else is good? Well, holy crap, this movie is absolutely gorgeous. The cinematography is beautifully shot, really embracing the fantastic place in which they were filming. It's so bright and colorful, almost visually contrasting the dire situation taking place. And the underwater scenes are amazing. Hey, Jaws: The Revenge, why don't you watch this movie and see how you're supposed to do a shark P.O.V. shot? Of course, the best shot is probably the one where you see Nancy surfing on a huge wave and you also see the shark. And when I say "see", I mean "SEE". It's hard to explain, but you'll know what I'm talking about when you watch it.
If I was forced to make any complaint, I guess it would be about a scene near the end. No spoilers, but it seems a bit outlandish, even for a shark movie. Again, you'll know it when you see it. However, since the rest of the movie was so believable and exciting, I'm going to let this go. It kind of earned a moment of craziness after all the awesomeness.
Lastly, I have to say hats off to the director, Jaume Collet-Serra. I'd say he is best known for doing the House of Wax remake, which didn't do so well as a whole, but he was the best thing about it. Of course, now I hope that this is the film that people will think of when they think of him. It has to be tough to direct something that barely has a script as far as dialogue and exposition go, but he did it masterfully. I hope he continues on with this and just keeps getting better.
In conclusion, I say that you should definitely see The Shallows, and you should see it in the theater if you can. It's worth it. Heck, if it's playing on an IMAX somewhere, I say go for that. It's a visual experience that is greatly helped by the big screen. Still, as I said before, this film is really about a person fighting to survive and finding out just how strong she truly is. Yes, the look of it leaves you awestruck, but if you pay close attention to the quieter moments, you'll find something even more powerful.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer.
