CHOMPFEST 2025

My participation in this year’s Chompfest is probably one of the most boring shark movies called Open Water directed and written by Chris Kentis (Silent House [2011]) from Lionsgate. Of course when I think of shark movies I think of Jaws [1975] and nothing can compare to that film but you would think there would be some action in a shark movie however this movie definitely lacks that.

Blanchard Ryan and Daniel Travis

The film starts with a couple Daniel (Daniel Travis) and Susan (Blanchard Ryan (No Exit [2008])) going on vacation and are excited to go scuba diving. They arrive on the boat, and the captain Seth (Saul Stein) gets everyone on the boat ready, does a head count and everyone jumps in the ocean. You see everyone swimming under the water including Daniel & Suan who are having so much fun and taking pictures and soon each of the divers make it back to the boat and Seth does the supposed head count and sees what he thinks is everyone back on the boat and leaves however oops Daniel & Susan were left behind and are in the middle of the ocean with no one to rescue them. Occasionally a shark or two is seen but they don’t bother them barely at all. It’s not until the end of the film when Daniel gets bit and *spoiler* doesn’t make it due to the bad bite and Susan sacrifices herself because there’s no escape. It’s not until the end of the movie that Seth realizes they were left behind and does a makeshift rescue but of course it’s too late.

How is someone unable to realize that everyone who paid for a boating excursion is not back? Aren’t there just so many air-tanks or what about roll-call of names? I remember when I was on my honeymoon in St. Lucia and we went on several boating trips the captains made damn sure that everyone was there before they would think about leaving the area. The movie is quite boring because 90% of it is Daniel & Susan swimming and that’s all, no action from fish or sharks until the end. There are many more fun shark movies to watch. You have all the Jaws movies plus Deep Blue Sea [1999], 47 Meters Down [2016], The Meg [2018] and even The Shallows [2016] which is similar to Open Water only in respect to one character in the middle of the ocean but there’s much more of a story line there and more exciting. I don’t know why IMDb has a high rating because I just can’t recommend this film to anyone not even on a lazy rainy day.

TAGLINES:

• Drifting into theaters this summer.
• Who will save you?
• Don’t get left behind
• Inspired by true events.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0374102/

IMDb Rating: 5.8/10

3C Rating: 3.0/10