We continue our 31 days of Frights with Deep Blue Sea from 1999. At an island research facility, Dr. Susan McAlester (Saffron Burrows) is harvesting the brain tissue of DNA-altered sharks as a possible cure for Alzheimer’s disease. The experiment is successful but has a dangerous side effect: the sharks become more intelligent, stronger, and aggressive.
Isn’t it crazy to think that, besides Jaws, most shark movies kind of suck? Think about it. Do you ever really hear people talk about other shark movies? Shark horror movies, to be exact. Everything just comes back to Jaws. Well, if Jaws is the greatest shark movie of all time, then Deep Blue Sea is the second best.
Deep Blue Sea is a really fun time. You know exactly what is going to happen in the very beginning of the movie, but you don’t care. What can go wrong if we make sharks smarter? I wonder. Once the facility fills up with water and the sharks escape, they hunt down our cast one by one. Nothing like a shark slasher.
The 90s were the decade of Jurassic Park. This movie took notes by enhancing sharks. They never really look real, and they do some things in this movie that will make you roll your eyes, but the movie isn’t trying to take itself too seriously anyway. There is still plenty of suspense, and the characters and deaths make this movie.
The film effectively uses claustrophobia and isolation to build dread, especially as the facility floods and the survivors try to escape. Deep Blue Sea has become a cult film over the years. This is most likely because people appreciate the suspenseful scenes and action sequences, as well as the camp and silliness.
The Characters
The cast is really strong in this movie. They include Samuel L Jackson, Thomas Jane, Michael Rapaport, Stellan Skarsgard, and LL Cool J. Everyone gets a chance to shine here. The two standouts, though, are Samuel L Jackson and LL Cool J.
Samuel L Jackson plays the outsider coming in and the voice of reason. He is a relatable character and brings star power to the movie. LL Cool J is the best character without a doubt. He plays Preacher, the cook in the facility. He is insanely relatable and brings a lot of the humor to the movie. He has no idea what is going on while all the chaos unfolds, and when he finally realizes what is going on, you can’t help but root for him to survive. If you haven’t seen this one yet, you are in for a treat.
Deep Blue Sea is not currently streaming.
Come back tomorrow for more spooky reviews.
