Open Water

With surprisingly few monster-in-the-closet moments, the filmmakers rely instead on a sense of inevitable doom | Andrew Coffin

The best thing about Open Water (rated R for language and some nudity) is the film's trailer, which for months has been promising the kind of minimalist, visceral scares that only independent cinema can provide. The concept is simple—two divers, on vacation in the islands, are left behind by their tour boat. Water-level shots of the two heads bobbing in the open ocean, with the occasional dorsal fin slicing the waves, are enough to send a quick chill down the spine.

The $150,000 film largely realizes its potential, despite a few disappointing elements—the biggest being an early, completely gratuitous nude scene.

As the film opens, overworked, upper-middle-class couple Daniel (Daniel Travis) and Susan (Blanchard Ryan) head off for a much-needed vacation. A few days into the trip, they board a dive boat that promises access to the tropical sea, far from the tourist-filled beaches. All goes smoothly until a numbering mix-up leaves the couple stranded with nothing but their scuba gear.