Into The Blue

Rating : 7/10
Release Date : September, ‘05
Time : 128 minutes
Director : John Stockwell; Writer : Matt Johnson
Starring : Jessica Alba, Paul Walker, Scott Caan, Ashley Scott, Josh Brolin, Dwayne Adway, Tyson Beckford, James Frain
There is something lovely and mysterious about the depths of the ocean, what lies beneath the vast expanse of water that covers most of our planet. Without going into the realms of horror or real claustrophobic depth, I don’t think any movie has made the ocean floor its playground as beautifully as ‘Into the Blue’. It’s a nice plot per se, plenty of twists and turns, gangsta’s and buried treasure, a shipwreck, a plane crash, drugs and cops, and a love story, all rolled into one nice coherent whole. But what makes this a notch above the ordinary, is the sight of four bodies in prime shape, exploring the shallow and pristine reefs of the Bahamas, swimming serenely amongst the fish and the undersea flora and fauna, propelling themselves sensuously, dolphin-like, as they explore one of the last remaining frontiers left on Earth.



Samantha (Jessica alba) and Jared (Paul Walker), a couple who both share a love for diving, are battling against rapidly dwindling funds, a boat with a hole and offers which go against their value systems. Along comes Bryce, a well-heeled lawyer and close friend of Jared’s, who brings Amanda, his girl-friend of 14 hours with him. They stay in the lovely pad of one of the people he has helped escape from the law. They go diving. And then lets just say, life is never the same again…

All four characters are etched well and distinctly – Samantha, the romantic, principled gal who would prefer love vs treasure, Bryce, who cant stop getting into one mess after another and doesn’t seem to know when to stop, Jared, who loves Sam dearly, loves the ocean and is probably one of the best divers in the area – able to hold his breath for periods that make you gasp. And Amanda, who loves snorting coke, has no principles at all and is clearly as mercenary as Bryce.

After the movie is over, you realise what makes divers pay exorbitant amounts to go to different exotic locales and dive. The music is good, the villains threatening, the sharks even more intimidating than normal. All in all, very enjoyable, as you vicariously go places where I would figuratively give an arm and a leg to visit…

I hope the Lara/Akshay starrer 'Blue' is not a copy or at least not a bad copy of this one but having looked at the pics seems like a copy for sure ...