Water deeper than expected
In the spirit of giving credit where it’s due, my hat’s off to director Renny Harlan and screenwriters Pete Bridges, Shayne Armstrong, S.P. Krause and Damien Power, where their latest film, Deep Water, is concerned. All involved obviously embraced the notion of making the ultimate disaster movie, shamelessly cribbing from The Poseidon Adventure, Jaws and Airport ’77, to create a bonkers greatest hits collection of highlights from the popular 70s genre.
This may sound like a backhanded compliment but is far from it. The film follows a certain logic that permits the elements from these pop culture milestones to seamlessly meld together, while upping the ante as it progresses. Not just content to give the audience numerous shark attacks and various water-based threats, they throw a kitchen sink of further catastrophes at their traumatized characters, resulting in a barrage of action sequences that, for the most part, prove thrilling and exciting.
The flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai is a crowded one, filled primarily by citizens from Central Casting. Rich (Ben Kingsley), a veteran pilot, estranged from his family, has been paired with First Officer Ben (Aaron Eckhart), who’s dealing with familial issues of his own. Their passengers are a diverse lot and include a chip-on-his shoulder lout (Angus Sampson) who has “shark bait” written all over him, a little girl (Molly Belle Wright) who’s mad at her new stepmother and father (Madeleine West and Ryan Bown) and irritated by her new stepbrother (Elijah Tamati) as well as a group of plucky flight attendants (Lucy Barrett, Chrissy Jin, Priya Jain), and a Chinese gymnastics team and United States wrestling team, both of which are made up of impulsive teens. A sassy grandmother, two middle-agers who may take a chance on love again, and a tech nerd who displays extraordinary heroism are also on board.
It would be wise not to get attached to any of them as, to the screenwriters’ credit, none of them are safe. Star power does not guarantee survival in this film and what with only two veteran actors leading the cast, everyone’s fair game for the sharks that come cruising after the flight goes down in the Pacific. This approach adds a degree of tension whenever someone’s forced to and pushed into the water, where there’s no shortage of finned predators ready for a free lunch.
For a film with a reported $40 million budget, the special effects are very good. The plane crash, which features compressed air tanks zipping around the cabin, a massive aluminum luggage container falling out the side taking out an engine on the way, passengers being sucked through gaping holes and numerous other flying objects that cause a bevy of gruesome injuries, is spectacular. This is modern, big-screen filmmaking at its best as the interior of Harlan’s plane fills the screen creating a large yet contained space which traps the viewer with the ill-fated passengers. This, coupled with the theater’s surround sound creates an unsettling, immersive experience that puts us in the middle of the disaster.
However, the peril is far from over when the plane hits the water. Pieces of the shattered fuselage come to rest on a crumbling coral reef, making it difficult for any survivors to scramble out, while ever rising water levels threaten any who are trapped. The shark attacks are well done, the combination of practical effects with CGI-rendered creatures and sharp editing creating one effectively horrific moment after another. To be sure, there was one shark that looked suspiciously like something I blew up on the beach for my boys to float on a few summers ago, but I’ll let that slide.
Perhaps the most surprising thing about Deep is how emotionally engaging it is at times. All involved are fully aware of the type of movie they’re in, yet no one is phoning it in where their performances are concerned. While this certainly isn’t an aspect being pushed in the movie’s trailer, it helps to ground this insanity, the material resonating in an unexpected and poignant manner. In the end, this glorified B-movie delivers much more than expected, something many modern movies with bigger budgets and high-profile stars can’t claim. In Theaters.
Crass approach dulls Farm’s impact
You’d be hard-pressed to find a more-timely piece of literature than George Orwell’s Animal Farm. As this cautionary tale continues to become our reality, the novel’s message hits home with the kind of power considering its theme in the abstract could never achieve. As such, it makes sense to try and convey its subject matter and warning to a younger generation, though it would be foolish to think they might learn from the past when we and so many others have failed to learn from history.
Obviously, this is the intent of Andy Serkis, the director of a new version of Farm, one that goes out of its way to modernize the story and, in the process, cheapens the story. Like the 1954 production, this too is animated and, for the most part, looks good. It doesn’t have the high-gloss look of Disney productions nor the computer aesthetic the Pixar films are known for. It manages to combine elements from both of these to create a more modest but still effective brand of cartoon that, at times, is very impressive.
However, the look of the film is not where the problems lie. The story has been updated to appeal to today’s young viewers, with some of the changes logical, while others are woefully misguided. What with Mr. Jones’ farm in foreclosure, his animals have been rounded up to go to the slaughterhouse. However, before leaving the property they realize what their fate’s to be, revolt and take over the farm. Led by the visionary pig Snowball (voice by Laverne Cox), the animals all work together to create a thriving, profitable farm that gets the attention of Freida Pilkington (Glenn Close) who hopes to seize the property and make it part of her corporate, farming conglomerate.
She gets her chance when the boar Napoleon (Seth Rogan) begins planting the seeds of discontent among the animals and spreading lies about Snowball’s intent, which leads to her exile. Once this is accomplished, Napoleon, Squealer (Kieran Culkin) and the other pigs lord over the other animals, living in high style thanks to the fruits of their labors, while the rest live in squalor.
Woody Harrelson and Kathleen Turner do fine work as the doomed horse Boxer and the ever-cynical donkey Benjamin, respectively. Serkis has added new characters to the mix, chief among them a goat named Carl (Jim Parsons), whose efforts to speak the truth go for naught, and a young impressionable pig named Lucky (Gaten Matarazzo). The latter is meant to be a surrogate for the young viewers as through his eyes we see Snowball’s Utopian vision sour under Napoleon’s corruption.
It’s a sound approach yet the tone of the film is all wrong. There’s an in-your-face crassness to the story that’s off-putting. Serkis’ efforts to give the story a sense of cool modernity fall flat what with his use of blaring hip-hop tunes, overzealous action sequences and lazy inclusion of blatant stereotypes. His ham-fisted approach ends up undercutting his intent, the message gets lost in the tumult and headaches result rather than feelings of righteous indignation.
Whether this version of Animal Farm succeeds in conveying Orwell’s message to children of the 21st century remains to be seen. However, it will prove useful to many English teachers. Any student who would write a book report after watching this instead of reading the novel will be found out immediately. Referring to Lucky as the story’s hero, mentioning that Moses is the name of Pilkington’s drone and that Napoleon drives a Ferrari will be dead giveaways. In Theaters.
Abrupt shift hobbles Apex
Baltasar Komakur’s Apex is a double-edged sword where Australian tourism is concerned. On the one hand, the director captures the wild, rural areas of the country in all their glory, the danger, majesty and beauty of all that the continent contains, splashed across the screen in either deep golden or lush green hues. This is countered by the notion that serial killers and other malcontents are present throughout the area, preying on any innocent tourists that might cross their path.
The film’s story has a similar dichotomy, featuring a heroine who’s hard to connect with and a shift in tone that’s a bit too jarring, all the while contained within a more than serviceable action movie that begs to be shown on the big screen. Featuring some of the finest practical stunt work seen on screen in recent memory, the film is undercut by Jeremy Robbins’ script. His effort to meld genres ultimately comes off as a misguided effort to please disparate audiences, the result a combination that proves jarring and traumatic.
Charlize Theron is Sasha, an adrenaline junkie haunted by a mountain climbing incident that went horribly wrong. We see her arrogance and petulance on full display during the movie’s introduction as her insistence to continue a dangerous climb despite her partner’s (Eric Bana) warnings leads to his death. If Sasha’s tendency to ignore good advice only affected her, she might be seen as tenacious and daring. However, her disregard for others makes her a less than likable character, a perception that persists throughout.
Trying to get her feet back under herself, Sasha heads down under to sample all Australia has to offer in the way of outdoor adventure. She happens to meet Ben (Taron Egerton), a seemingly gallant guy who helps her out at a remote gas station, and offers suggestions as to where she should camp and explore. Turns out, he’s setting a trap for her, something Sasha doesn’t realize until he “stumbles” upon her camp and reveals his ulterior motive.
Ben must have seen The Most Dangerous Game a few too many times as he likes to hunt human prey. Our heroine is just the latest of many unsuspecting tourists he’s victimized. He’s also a tracker extraordinaire, as no matter where Sasha goes, whether it’s a mileslong trip down the rapids or through various labyrinthine gorges, he still manages to be right on her tail.
His ability to dog our heroine’s footsteps so easily is one of the flaws in Robbins’s script, as is the third act climax which is just too ridiculous to accept. I mean, I understand the difference between movie injuries and real injuries are miles apart. If John Wayne taught me anything, it’s that even if I get shot, I should still be able to walk around and save the day. What we’re expect to accept where Sasha’s injuries and her capabilities in saving herself are concerned is a bit too much to swallow.
However, the biggest objection comes when the film abruptly shifts tones, going from a River Wild adventure into the realm of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Once Ben reveals the true source of the unique jerky he sells and we see all that remains of those who supplied it, the movie has plunged into a kind of horror, only passionate fans of the genre will embrace. This transition proves much too jarring and suddenly, Apex wasn’t the movie I thought it was or wanted it to be. Streaming on Netflix.
This article appears in April 30-May 6, 2026.
