Open Water (2003)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Chris Kentis

Writer:

Chris Kentis (written by)

Release Date:

20 August 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Drifting into theaters this summer.

Plot:

Based on the true story of two scuba divers accidentally stranded in shark infested waters after their tour boat has left.

Plot Keywords:

Boat | Shark | Ocean | Scuba Diving | Diving

Awards:

2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Blanchard Ryan	...	Susan
Daniel Travis	...	Daniel
Saul Stein	...	Seth
Michael E. Williamson	...	Davis (as Michael Williamson)
Cristina Zenarro	...	Linda (as Cristina Zenaro)
John Charles	...	Junior (as Jon Charles)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Estelle Lau	...	Estelle (uncredited)
Steve Lemme	...	Scuba Diver (uncredited)

Directed by
Chris Kentis

Writing credits
Chris Kentis		(written by)

Produced by
Estelle Lau	....	associate producer
Laura Lau	....	producer
Gary Lorenzo	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Graeme Revell

Cinematography by
Chris Kentis		(shot by)
Laura Lau		(shot by)

Film Editing by
Chris Kentis

Sound Department
Mark DeSimone	....	adr mixer: New York
Marc Fishman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tony Lamberti	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jon Mete	....	sound effects editor
Glenn T. Morgan	....	supervising sound editor
Todd Orr	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tom Ozanich	....	sound designer
Ben Wilkins	....	sound editor
David Barbee	....	sound editor (uncredited)
John Bires	....	audio engineer (uncredited)
Matt Colleran	....	sound re-recordist (uncredited)
Victor Ray Ennis	....	first assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Paul Flinchbaugh	....	digital assistant (uncredited)
Nerses Gezalyan	....	foley mixer (uncredited)
Jeff Glueck	....	audio engineer (uncredited)
Kenneth L. Johnson	....	foley editor (uncredited)
Diane Marshall	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Stefanie Melchor	....	additional sound (uncredited)
James Moriana	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Lucy Sustar	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Jeffrey Wilhoit	....	foley artist (uncredited)
David Young	....	audio engineer (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Haven Cousins	....	compositor

Editorial Department
Haven Cousins	....	lead colorist
Thomas Edmon	....	digital intermediate supervisor (as Tom Edmon)
Jim Finn	....	negative cutter
Matt Woo	....	digital intermediate technician
Richard Haylock	....	on-line editor (uncredited)
Corey Lincoln	....	post-production assistant (uncredited)

Music Department
Nathan Barr	....	composer: additional music
Mark Curry	....	score mixer
Joel C. High	....	music executive
Ashley Revell	....	music editor

Other crew
Stuart Cove	....	shark wrangler
Robert Luttrell	....	digital film timer
Pascual Romero	....	publicity and promotions
David E. Russo	....	programmer

Thanks
Oreet Rees	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Plunge Pictures LLC

Distributors

• Lions Gate Films (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• CDI Films (2005) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• DeA Planeta Home Entertainment (2004) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Eagle Pictures (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Independent Films (2004) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (2005) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD) (VHS)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• Movie-Eye Entertainment (2005) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Pony Canyon (2005) (Japan) (DVD)
• Redbus Film Distribution (2004) (UK) (theatrical)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2004) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2004) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Spentzos Films (2004) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Star Entertainment (2005) (India) (all media)
• Tien (2007) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2004) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Viva Films (2004) (Philippines) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• Mi Casa Multimedia  DVD audio mastering 5.1& 6.1
• Epstein, Levinsohn, Bodine, Hurwitz & Weinstein  legal services
• GMI  financing
• Heavy Light Digital  digital intermediate and film transfer
• Immediate Music  additional music provided by
• Jeremy Walker + Associates  publicity
• Numerical Sound  additional music provided by
• Soundelux  sound post-production
• TVT Soundtrax  soundtrack published by
• Todd-AO Soundelux  sound post-production

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some nudity.

Runtime:

79 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Portugal:M/16 | Iceland:10 | South Korea:15 | Sweden:11 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Canada:14A (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:G (Québec) | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | Chile:TE | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:11 | Peru:PT | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:NC-16 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Bahamas

Company:

Plunge Pictures LLC

Trivia:

Filmed on weekends and holidays with a crew that usually consisted of two or three people.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the beginning of the film despite going to bed without any clothes Daniel miraculously (and thankfully) gains a pair of briefs for the middle of the night mosquito swatting scene, before waking the next morning. Presumably this an effort by the director to keep the film rating as low as possible. But why not make him go to sleep with a pair of briefs on in the first place?

Quotes:

Susan: [surfacing from the water] Where's the boat. Daniel. Where's the boat?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Controversial Confection: The Soul of 'Hard Candy' (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

Isa Lei

Finally, back to what movies were meant to do!

It really doesn't surprise me that some people don't like this film. After all to truly enjoy Open Water one must open their mind and think. In this day and age that hardly ever happens anymore. Most filmmakers just decide to blow things up and hope that it's enough to entertain their audiences. Society in general has become numb what with the plots just laid out in front of us never questioning or asking us to use our imaginations. Open Water is a film that asks its viewers to place themselves at the heart of the movie; to feel the desperation, the hopelessness and the absolute terrifying ordeal. And for a change the movie is shot in a way that allows the viewer to feel as if truly there. Is it Jaws? No and its not meant to be. Maybe that's where the confusion lays. Open Water is a suspenseful film, excellent at that. If you're someone who actually enjoys figuring out the movie for yourself instead of being told in the first five minutes this is the film for you. Score: A.