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Open water - Blanchard Ryan, Daniel Travis, Saul Stein, Chris Kentis

Threat advisory: High - High risk of entertaining activities

Movie propaganda

Two Americans on holiday, Susan (Blanchard Ryan) and Daniel (Daniel Travis), have been missing from a local dive boat since Sunday morning. The couple boarded the Reef Explorer along with a group of 25 divers and 3 crew members for a 40 minute dive. Susan and Daniel, both certified scuba divers, dove on their own away from the larger group. A routine head count had been taken before and after the dive, but apparently the couple was left behind nearly 30 km from land in waters rumoured to be shark-infested. No foul play is suspected at this time, though reports of overcrowding, a distracted staff and a series of miscommunications may account for the accident. The couple's disappearance was not detected for more than 24 hours when the captain found some of their belongings still on board the vessel. Authorities launched a search and rescue operation immediately. As of this time, their whereabouts and fate are still unknown.

Theatrical propaganda posters

Target demographic movie keyword propaganda

Film horror thriller shark lost left behind scuba diving eaten Queensland Great Barrier Reef survival

Persons of interest

Blanchard Ryan .... Susan
Daniel Travis .... Daniel
Saul Stein .... Seth
Estelle Lau .... Estelle
Michael E Williamson .... Davis
Cristina Zenarro .... Linda
John Charles .... Junior
Chris Kentis .... Screenwriter
Chris Kentis .... Director

Cinematic intelligence sources

Open water official movie site
Open water QuickTime movie trailers

Awards and film festivals:

Cinematic Intelligence Agency Trenchcoat Awards 2004: Won: Best actor from another species (The sharks)
Sundance Film Festival 2004: World première

See also The reef
Studios and distributors:

Icon Film Distribution

Intelligence analyst

Special Agent Matti

Theatrical report

Inspired by the disappearance of American divers Thomas and Eileen Lonergan from the Great Barrier Reef in 1998 (see Dive Queensland), Open water is a tight thriller that's set, for most of the 80 minute running time, way out in the deep blue sea. This is not a place for the faint of heart. Putting aside for the moment the threats of shark attack and drowning, it's the kind of place that tells you that human beings just don't belong there. For all our wonderful technology, the ocean is one force we have no hope of controlling. If that doesn't set your sphincters clenching, nothing will.

Now, when I was 15 I was "left behind" by a tour group; nothing so dramatic as being dumped at sea (I was on a tour de l'île in Tahiti) but I still got the short end of the stick thanks to some sloppy management. (In case you're worried, I found my way back to my house with the help of a couple of visiting French tourists. I didn't get eaten by sharks.) It amazed me then and amazes me now that someone can be completely ignored when it comes to the issue of safety. How can you "forget" to count someone? How can you not check your count when people's lives are at stake? That total sense of disbelief, or stunned incredulity, pervades Open water, and provides the basis for the shocking horror that you fell when the lights come up. If you thought Lost things made going to the beach look bad, Open water will keep you at home on the couch all summer long.