Name: Retro Film Review: Deep Rising (1998)
Item: Deep Rising
Rating: 60
Author: @drax

(source:tmdb.org)

Success of Titanic inspired at least some Hollywood film-makers to shoot movies about bad things happening to a huge ship. One of those films was Deep Rising, 1998 action comedy written and directed by Stephen Sommers.

The plot begins with "Argonautica", most luxurious cruise ship that has entered stormy and uncharted waters of South China Sea only to have collision with unknown huge object. Some time later Finnegan (played by Treat Williams), captain of much smaller power boat, is carrying group of sinister looking people led by Hanover (played by Wes Studi). Their destination is "Argonautica" and their intentions can be only guessed, although they are hardly good, at least judging by torpedoes as the part of their equipment. Once on board "Argonautica" it turns out that Hanover and his men are definitely better alternative to whatever has taken the liner. Based on the blood, half-digested human remains and accounts given by few survivors, Finnegan and Hanover conclude that the ship was attacked by mysterious undersea monster with the taste for liquids from human body. The monster is apparently still hungry so Finnegan must quickly find a way to survive.

Is the plot of Deep Rising nothing more than combination of much better movies like Titanic, Aliens and The Poseidon's Adventure? Is anyone aware that most events depicted in this film defy not only science, but logic and common sense? Does anyone notice that the characters in this film are cheap caricatures? Most critics answered to those questions positively and savaged the film in the process. However, if asked those same questions, Stephen Sommers would probably agree with them. Deep Rising doesn't try to fool its audience and goes over the top in any way imaginable - with the body count, with the nasty way people are killed, with outlandish methods of rescue, with "clever" oneliners and with the toilet humour. The result of Sommers' efforts is a movie that turns out to be great entertainment as long as nobody takes it seriously. The direction and pacing are very good, ethnically diverse cast is adequate for this sort of film (with Kevin J. O'Connor working wonders as the film's comic relief) and all that is accompanied by passable special effects and relatively high budget. Fans of "trash" films shouldn't ask for more.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

(Note: The text in its original form was posted in Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.films.reviews on October 13th 2004)