THE REEF

 

THE REEF: D


This film failed to deliver in just about every area. Really the only praise I can give the film is within its location. The scenery was rather beautiful.  That about does it for the praise. 

The acting could have been worse, but it could have been a lot better too.  The moments of simplistic conversation were realistic enough but there was no sense of levity within romance scenes or a since of urgency within scenes of what should have been energetic.  The films pacing was painfully slow to the point of absolute boredom & then when things finally did pick up, the audience was left feeling lackluster from a scene that felt far more dull than it should have. 

The final scene were the man is begging the girl to pull him up onto the rocks so he will not be attacked by the shark. There is no strain in her face. No veins popping out of her arm, head or neck. She doesn't even appear to be squeezing his arm.  It looks as if she isn't even trying to pull him up.   

This movie is a collection of stupid decisions made by characters.  A skipper that seems to have less knowledge of his equipment and the waters than the people he takes out.  Another man after being instructed not to swim fast and splash around in the water, does exactly that, thus causing himself to be the first victim of the shark. It's difficult as an audience member to feel any empathy for the characters when they are the cause of their own demise. 

Lastly, for being praised as a "realistic" shark film, there were many actions made by the shark that are extremely unrealistic for a Great White. Things a Great White would never do, thus giving a false impression of the behavior of such a magnificent creature.   

Since JAWS, the last 46 years have produced a lot of shark films. Some good, some bad.  I'll give you once guess as to where this one lies.