Two out of
Five stars
Running time:
100 mins
Into the Blue is a brainless, forgettable thriller that quickly sinks without a trace, despite an attractive cast and gorgeous photography.
The Background
If you’re of a certain age, you may have fond memories of a trashy 1970s thriller called
The Deep, which had an underwater setting and a rubbish mystery plot but was chiefly notable for its shots of Jacqueline Bisset in a wet T-shirt.
Into the Blue is the spiritual heir to
The Deep and anyone expecting anything other than the sight of Jessica Alba in a skimpy bikini (or, indeed, Paul Walker with his shirt off) is going to be very disappointed indeed.
The Story
Paul Walker and Jessica Alba play Jared and Sam, a happy-go-lucky couple who live in the Bahamas. Jared is a dive instructor and part-time treasure hunter and Sam is a shark trainer. When Jared’s obnoxious best friend, Bryce (Scott Caan) shows up with his latest girlfriend, Amanda (Ashley Scott) in tow, the foursome embark on a snorkelling trip. Coincidentally they find both a mythical shipwreck containing buried treasure and a recently crashed aeroplane with a boatload of cocaine on board.
The Good
John Stockwell made the underrated surfer chick flick Blue Crush, so he clearly knows a thing or two about gorgeous location photography and skimpily attired Hollywood hotties. Accordingly, the cast were clearly chosen for their looks, rather than their acting ability. However, the photography will make you seriously consider a holiday in Barbados.
The Bad
Unfortunately, Stockwell’s directorial skills don’t extend as far as the thriller elements of the film and it quickly gets bogged down in a ridiculous plot and poorly staged underwater action sequences. He also fails to really exploit the moral dilemma faced by the cast and the overall result is extremely disappointing.
The Conclusion
In short, Into the Blue fails miserably as a thriller but it looks gorgeous and its target audience of Alba-fanciers probably won’t be disappointed.