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Matt Hooper's look at DEEP BLUE SEA
Harry here with an expert on sharks... he's had a close call or two himself... to give us the skinny inside on DEEP BLUE SEA. Thus far we haven't heard so much as a peep of hope about this film, and it seems that the overall feeling I'm hearing on this film is not good. It's strange, but I'm actually looking forward more to LAKE PLACID than this film. Well... we'll see, here's Matt Hooper... Beware of SPOILERS below!!!
Matt Hooper here and got some shore leave from the Aurora, y'know, that
floating asylum for shark lovers. Anyways, while walking around town, I got a
chance to check out Renny Harlin's DEEP BLUE SEA in Glendale. Now tho the
MovieView guy said it was a work-in-progress print, other than some color
timing and sound sweetening, it looked pretty much done to me, even the
effects looked finaled, maybe not (especially since this has been farmed to a
number of companies).
Ok ok, I'm rambling. In a nutshell, if it weren't a sucker for sharks, I
wouldn't see this movie. Saffron Burrows gives an awful performance as the
hard driven scientist looking for a cure for alzheimer's disease by tapping
mako shark brain for fluid. Her character switches roles 5 times thru the
film. Samuel Jackson is a wasted character, playing the business tycoon
funding the research. He has a dark secret that is never fully explained and
goes to waste in a monologue. Thomas Jane does a decent job as Carter the
shark wrangler, Quint would have been proud, except they made him a wuss as
he falls for Burrows. The only bright spots were Rapaport and LL Cool J and
even their characters were borrowed from other films.
First off, the sharks. Now being someone into sharks, I really wanted to see
if technology would give way to a sequel of my own. Ah, JAWS 5 - Hooper's
revenge! And maybe there could be (take note Universal!). The animatronic
sharks were excellent! Great specimens! Movement, texture, & look were all
great. Now the CG sharks... well, back to the drawing board. They still move
a bit stiff for something so naturally fluid, close but no cigar, especially
when they're ripping a digital person apart. Next time, get ILM to work on
this. Stick with animatronics - you hear me Universal (JAWS 5) & Disney (MEG).
The biggest disappointment was that it was such an unoriginal script. I was
really looking forward to something new and fresh, but there was too much of
the Abyss, Lost World, JAWS 4 (of all things) but I guess that was only to be
expected. Another complaint is McAlister (Burrows) came off as a total bitch,
she holds everyone by the balls basically, especially Carter and the tension
shows. And then as she lets everyone know it's her fault, her character
changes as well as the feelings of Carter towards her. Bullshit, this bitch
just told you 'I own you' and now you're about to give her a liplock and
forgive her in 40 mins as your see everyone die around you and it's BECAUSE
OF HER? Give me a break. And then she feels compelled to sacrifice herself at
the end to be a hero? Keep her in character please, bad enough her acting was
awful to begin with.
Does this compare at all to the suspense in Jaws? NO! Granted the most shark
attacks were pretty damn gruesome, they looked fake. Nothing will compare to
JAWS. Did Renny Harlin deliver? Well, with a shoddy story, I feel he did the
best he could. He got some great work out of LL Cool J and Michael Rapaport
did a good job as the neurotic engineer. What does this mean for Warner Bros?
It means going back to the drawing board. Take a lesson, you guys are going
back to square one with Superman, you should think about that when you look
at scripts like this. Welcome to Warner Bros. Duncan Henderson, hope it was
worth coming over from FOX. As for Universal & Disney, take a close look at
this when it comes out before thinking about greenlighting your shark
projects.
Hooper out...
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Jul 06, 1999 12:42:59 AM CDT
HEY-I'm FIRST AND I DON'T GIVE A SHIT AND BELIEVE ME.....NO ONE
by misterwinkie
to all those fuckers who think being first is a "breakthrough"..it isnt.....and well.we all know u havent won anything in your life thats why u have to boast over this MINOR accomplishment
damn fools.
:) -
Wanna know whats worst than bragging about being first? Having the first talk back have nothing to do with the subject. Way to Condemn others though. Very cool, Dude. Anyway about the movie,, Renny Harlin has'nt done a really good movie since Die Hard 2 (Maybe Cliffhanger, maybe), and there hasn't been a really good shark movie since Jaws. Did you guys really think this would be good. My brother has seen Lake Placid, and says that yeah it's bad, but at least it knows it's bad. Therefore they have a lot of fun with it. Maybe that's what this movie needs.
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i dont know..but from the trailers and word of mouth...i got a feeling this movie wil not due so well. Even though Lake placid looks promising...i hope we can expect more from it then Anaconda (still love the backwards waterfall scene in the movie-)...but i did nothing for me...the effects were ...cheesy..and well...so was the rest...and...dont get me wrong ...but i like chessy movies. Hopefully Lake Placid will have more going for it script wise and all..and effects wise...but till then...we can only pray tha at least one of our Survival Beast movies can be somewhat entertaining...I did think the DBS trailer was cool---but then again--i thought the same about WWW...It sux when they put all there best scenes in a trailer to sell a movie...but hey .....thats hollywood.
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Every year we get the same build up of great looking trailers that turn out to be shit films. We might as well join a fucking band! Sucking Satan's cock for rock n'roll is a lot more rewarding than paying those hollywood assholes money for nothing!
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Does anybody think this guy has ever made a good movie? I don't ordinarily like to make negative comments. There's way too many of them in AICN, often from people who don't seem to know what the fuck they're talking about. But, I feel obligated to make an exception this time around. This director made Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger, The Long Kiss Goodnight, and Cutthroat Island. I may be going out on a limb here, but I thought all of these films sucked. The only exception would be The Long Kiss Goodnight, which I thought was mediocre. Has he ever made a good movie? Perhaps someday, I might see The Adventures of Ford Fairlane .
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I don't like to see anyone fail, but Renny if Deep Blue Sea flops ( and it looks like it will) your days of big budget action films are a thing of the past. Three strikes and your out, and with Cutthroat and Long Kiss, studios will think twice about putting up the cash. I was hoping DBS would be a descent creature picture,(it still may be) but Lake Placid is beginnig to look like the Anaconda of this summer, a movie in which (along with the King of Kings Roger Ebert) is a very good flick. Oliver Platt rules!
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Lots of people mistake Jaws (the original film) for a horror movie or a monster movie. It isn't. Spielberg was paying tribute to Hitchcock, improving on his film the Birds (IMHO, one of The Master's weakest efforts). The character relations, the red herrings, the pacing were classic. In effect the movie is a psychological thriller - the scariest moments are when nothing happens.
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Jul 06, 1999 3:08:35 AM CDT
Renny Harlin really needs to get back together with Stallone
by paragonian
Cliffhanger was one of the best action movies of the nineties even though it had lots of cliches and bad acting. The trailer for it was awesome too. Maybe Harlin could do that Rocky 4 thing and tap into his potential a little.
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I meant Rocky 6, I'm still a little crazy after the fourth of July.
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I must confess- I like Renny. Sure he made some bombs (cut throat)but how many directors don't do that?. The long kiss godnght really reallt rock my boat, and unlike many of You i saw Ford Fairlane(uncensored) in a theater and i laughed my a... of. I still hold my copy of this movie precious.
But what i wanted to say was that I had high hopes for this film- becaus it's a shark movie combined with a slick trailer. But why O why does it have to suck. Isn't there someone in a studio that can tell me how the control of these movies during the produktion (hell even before) and after- can let that much shit out on the screens?
I'm lucky in that respect cause i do not live in the States so the worst movies get screened off before the reach my theater. -
Pirahna. If you have not seen this film yet, do so. It is directed by Joe Dante and written by John Sayles. The only place you will probably be able to rent it is at mom and pop video stores and sometimes it is shown on TBS. I used to take trips up to where it was filmed in San Marcos, Texas right on the campus of SWTU at a place called Aquarina Springs.
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No thanks. Everyone in the audience I saw it with laughed at the trailer. But, they didn't boo it as bad as "DICK"!
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You rule, man! I didn't think anyone but me remembered Pirahna (sp?), great movie, funny as hell. Also, check out Sayles' Alligator!
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I liked the Long Kiss Goodnight because you don't often get to see a kick-ass female hero who has to save the guy. I thought it was pretty good but I admittingly have no taste and like someone mentioned, I have no I idea what the hell I am talking about.
I have absolutly 100% no interest in this movie however. I have something against shark movies ever since I was a kid and my parents rented Jaws and I could hear people dying and it scared the crap out of me. Ramble, Ramble, Ramble.... -
Harlin has a smooth way of directing that I like. I'm a native Finnish and few years ago I didn't much appriciate Harlin's work (perhaps a bit Cliffhanger and Die Hard 2) until I realised his directing (just look how the camera moves and changes place and distance) was great but the stories and acting sucked.
One thing I can't understand is how Cut Throat Island was so BIG flop and why it is hated so much. The story had its weak points and it was slow time to time but the directing was still good and it REALLY wasn't that bad. One suggestion why it flopped so much is that US(people and esspecially the critics) can't accept woman as an action heroe (same goes with the Long Kiss Goodnight).
But in the end I must confess that Harlin has still edges that need to be rounded off. -
speaking of scripts, does anyone know of any websites that currently have the deep blue sea script?
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He plays the "hero", Carter. He is apparently now the leading contender over Luke Wilson for the role of Cyclops in X-Men. I am not too familiar with his work save for his role as the mustachieod (?) scumbag who leads Marky Mark in trying to rip off Alfred Molina in Boogie Nights. He was also Nemo in Crow 2 (God, I loathe that film). For those of you who may have seen a preview of DBS, would you buy Jane as Cyke or not? He's also in "The Last Time I Committed Suicide" with Keanu where he plays Beat poet Neal Cassidy but I never caught that one, either. Word is Fox brass think DBS will make Jane a star and want to sign him as Cyke while they can. From those who've seen it, are they right or daft? Thanks. (I'm not trying to turn this into an X-Men forum -- just wondering is all!)
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I'm going to remember you people that are bad mouthing a great movie like DEEP BLUE SEA before it opens. You are the same SHITHEADS that bad mouthed THE MATRIX and look how that turned out. This is the last time I'm going to comment on DBS until it opens. Bottom line is that DBS will be a KICK ASS ride and Renny Harlin is a GREAT action director. Regarding Stallone and Harlin teaming together again, I CAN'T WAIT. Together they made one of the GREATEST action/adventure thrill rides and I can't wait to see what they do next. Mr. Harlin, if you are reading this, PLEASE direct RAMBO 4. I would love to see what WILD action scenes you would bring to one of the GREATEST action series around. You and Sly should team-up again for RAMBO 4...
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A special note to Kenni: Harlin is not a good director. You seem to think it's always the scripts. Before you make that judgement, read the scripts (that the studio bought, not the 'shooting script.' And Harlin is usually responsible for turning a great script into the lovely shooting script that you see on film.)
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yeah If i remember people were slagging The Matrix off woithout seeing it, and also if i remember correctly people made their minds up about this film as soon as harlin was attached, oh and a test screening is a TEST !!!!!!!, stuff people didn't like will be changed, I thought that was the idea-maybe I'm wrong
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GREAT WHITE. James Franciscus, Vic Morrow, and the cheapest looking shark this side of JAWS THE REVENGE combined to outdo ORCA for sheer ineptitude. It was eventually pulled from theaters due to amazing thematic similarities to Spielberg's original. If you can find any bootleg copies, I'd highly reccomend it.
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whoever sent in this review wants a Jaws 5-what a dumb idea
thats enough ranting from me although I've positive reviews of the film elsewhere -
So, I hear this one really blows monkey ass.
Nonetheless, the new trailer which played with South Park was pretty cool.
Is it true that Renny Harlin's former assistant has his baby and that was the final straw between Renny and Geena Davis? -
Seems like if it were up to us geeks the entire monster movie renaissance of the 50's woulda never happened because the films were too similar to each other. DBS a JAWS rip-off? Please give me a break. It looks to me like the only similarity to Jaws is the species, but Harlin would be a fucking idiot if he didn't draw some inspiration from one of the greatest monster movies of all time. Wouldn't he? Seems to me like the guy who wrote this review works for another studio since he singles out some obscure executive for crucifiction. Wishing ill will and failure on others simply because you didn't like a picture show they made is about as mainstream Hollwood as you can possibly get (Moriarty take note). See SWIMMING WITH SHARKS one of the best monster movies ever made -- with a studio executive as the monster. Guess what, with films like ANACONDA, THE RELIC, LAKE PLACID, SPECIES etc. we are having another monster movie renaissance RIGHT NOW, and I wouldn't miss it for the world.
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This is for the guy who said "It's only a test screening": Yes, it is a test. And if you goofed off the entire semester, cramming the night before won't help you much. You all know that.
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Bosshog, GET CARTER is going to be a KICK ASS remake (the original was good but Stallone will make his the better version. Sorry Get Carter fans). Wait until the movie comes out you PIECE OF SHIT. I would love to stuff SHIT in your mouth after DETOX, RAMBO 4 and GET CARTER comes out. Those will be three great movies for Sly following COP LAND. Like I said, I won't comment anymore on DEEP BLUE SEA until the film comes out and makes a shit load of money and is seen as a great thrill ride of summer
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I was wondering about that movie. I was only a wee kid when " Great White " came out and had it's very limited run. I didn't get to see it and I do remember the legal ruckus about it. I always wanted to see it. I noticed it hasn't come out on video and wondering if there are any bootleg copies floating around? Has anyone seen one or seen it ?
anyone? anyone? anyone? -
Renny Harlin has made only one decent film in his whole career -THE PRISON. If you like Harlin, you gotta see it, however it's very different from his more recent works, it's actually really good. Eh, it's ok, it's his best, that's for sure. Harlin fired his entire editing team during post of this shark movie because it so obviously sucked. He had to try and save face and fire somebody and blame them. Moron.
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ABking, your my man. I agreed with you after what you had been saying.
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This Hooper guy doesn't know what he is talking about! He says "why didnt they have ILM do the sharks.." well mr. wise guy.. ILM DID do a lot of the shark shots in the movie. Get your facts straight before acting like you know everything.
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I didn't love this one, and I haven't really liked any since Spielberg's original, but hey, I'm a hopeful dork. I wouldn't mind a JAWS 5, what is wrong with wanting a JAWS 5? Now if you made it around Brody's family as a typical sequel, then I say, yeah, that's a bad idea. But what the hell else are you going to call it if you're Universal and you've been smacking the idea around for another shark film? Why not capitalize on the name and bring a fresh JAWS story to the big screen? Oh and this was a thrill ride? This was no thrill ride, It's more like a car race, you sit and wait for the car crashes to happen, other than that it's the same as any other with a different set of racers. I did not find one original idea in this movie. Sure the trailer looks cool, but I've seen a lot of cool trailers of bad movies. As far as Thomas Jane and his acting? Well, it was alright, some of the moves they gave him made him look super cool. But as Cyclops? Well, he has always been a one dimensional character. I was watching "Flight of the Intruder" the other day and thought, "Hey Brad Johnson would make a good Cyke." Well, if he still looked that way today. Heh... as far as the vfx in this film, like I said before, the animatronics are GREAT, ASTOUNDING, STUPENDOUS, SPECTACULAR! (Even Warner's website boasts about the Animatronics!) The cg sharks? Blah.... sorry, but ILM, maybe you shouldn't have spent your time on Jar Jar so much. Anyways, I thought Hammerhead handled the cg shark sequences based on their models, maybe I read that wrong somewhere. Ah, I forget. Much like I will forget this movie.
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dunno aboot the flick, but the trailer is great! Besides, the Shark throwing the guy against the window and it shattering is neat. (On the flipside, though, the poster SUCKS!)
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Yes! I saw that movie in a theater! It was like 1984. I always wondered why it never came out on video. There was like a chick who got her legs bitten off, and they somehow blow the shark's head off at the end. I was like 10 when I saw it. I remember scenes from that movie vividly but can't remember what I did yesterday. What are you going to do. And Renny Harlin sucks. I think Nightmare on Elm Street boy gets so much work because he's foreign. Although The Long Kiss Goodnight wasn't bad.
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Dear God, I've waited
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Dear God, I've waited almost 25 years for something to equal JAWS. Ive sat through Grizzly, The Car, Day of the Animals, Alligator, Phirana, Anaconda, those god-awful sequels that have no right bearing the JAWS name. And now, after all this time, Hollywood is finally gonna put some real muscle behind another shark movie. My expectations: high. Could it be? Another great shark movie? I know it'll never match the original Jaws but maybe... Oh, but what's this? Renny Harlin is going to direct it? And Akiva Goldman is going to write it? Well, Renny's been slammed enough on this board, so I won't beat a dead horse, but I don't see much slamming of Mr. Goldman. This guy might be the worst screenwriter ever. EVER. His scripts for Batman and Lost In Space could be an entire film school carriculumn on what not to do when constructing a film. Insulting, hackneyed, bloated, cliched, complete lack of internal logic. With these two at the helm, I have very little faith in the final outcome. (has anyone read the script excerpts on the DBS website?? This is what they're using to promote the film?!?) But of course I'll go see it. I have to. The price a JAWS fanatic must pay just to see a shark on a 40' screen.
And by the way: if Star Wars rates a 20 year, remastered anniversary release, why the hell can't Jaws get one too? How about a 25th Anniversary release, and to kick it all off we can have a public burning of every print of Jaws III and IV? (We'll let II stick around just for posterity) -
I don't know what your problem is.
When I saw the preview for DBS, I thought it captured the same beautiful visuals of 'Alien: Resurrection' and maybe even better. It really looks like a good movie.
You just have to take movies to heart, otherwise you won't know what they are trying to express. -
Only one word describes this movie. Unbeliveable. Deep Blue Sea has it all. Thrills, Chills, Suspense,Comedy, this movie packs it all into one great film. The was pretty good, the action never stops, and the surprises keep coming one after another. The way the sharks move and think and act are outrageous.Go see this movie you won't be disappointed.
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