The Shallows is a survival
horror film with a glossy finish and modern day antics but with its heart in
the right place.
Blake Lively stars as a former medical student whose on
vacation and decides to surf on the same beach her mother once did back in the
day in solidarity. Things seem serene as can be in the water until she’s runs
into an injured whale turned on its side in the water with apparent bite marks.
This forces her to come to the conclusion that there’s a shark nearby who will
stop at nothing rid of everything edible in its path.
The Shallows is a
great solo acting vehicle for Blake Lively to showcase her natural acting chops
for once. Being from mainly a TV show (Gossip
Girl) it’s rare someone gets an original acting gig as intense and inducing
and front in centre as The Shallows years
down the road. Blake Lively is quite perfect in this role as she plays earnest
yet cautious, clever but uncertain and hopeless yet determined. These are all
effective traits for a small town girl who doesn’t realize they’ll be up
against a giant ferocious CGI shark. Blake Lively makes the character fun to be
around which doesn’t allow a movie like this to wallow in dread, but instead
carry a strategically driving force such as JAWS
that is more about a feverish chess game than animalistic torture porn.
Now one would think a CGI shark would be as enjoyable as
watching Scrubbing Bubble mascots in
a commercial but surprisingly if you use the shark in the most sparingly shot
way, it actually can work to an advantage. Featuring a scene where the shark
devours a random surfer in mid sea level and well detailed still shots in a
found footage format, the shark at times looks real as can be and equally as
frightening. Though there are scenes of CGI delusions of grandeur, the fact
these are scenes of urgency and not Deep
Blue Sea level obnoxiousness make it part of the fun and at the same time
interestingly intense mixed with Blake Lively’s performance. Furthermore the
effects do reach Jungle Book-esque impressiveness
when at the right angles, that give a perfect surreal quality of realism
witnessing it all one screen. With all that said this movie entails tasteful
attributes of gore and doesn’t skimp on the blood which gives more than enough
to make this shark a worst nightmare.
A few tonally problems do occur in the movie that lessen the
intent of the films score and plot. As the movie starts off you get
establishing shots of Blake Lively sexually getting her surf gear on, and
showing us her characters surf skills while being drenched in a mainstream EDM
soundtrack yet the movie begins with a frightfully preparing JAWS-esque score, making the film feel
disjointed almost immediately with what looks like scenes from an upcoming surf
documentary or uplifting biopic needlessly thrown into a survival horror flick.
If kept with the fearing original score from the start, that would of things
more consciously disturbing when things get into gear and not be as slightly
lackluster as it feels. Even just toning down those scenes as just one far away
surf shot with music over it, instead it’s a music video in the middle of the
movie. Accompanied with that is an end credits song that is apparently used to
invoke “Girl Power” propaganda, as if the only way to display strong feminism
is through an implied mainstream pop song. Not the most intriguing ending ever.
So could The Shallows
of been darker with a different lead actress? Sure. Could the films soundtrack
be more simple and subdued for more theatrical horror effect to enhance the
experience? Sure. Could the editing be more focused and less head scratchingly
choppy? Definitely! But overall The
Shallows is a fun refreshingly scary ride appropriate for an air conditioned
escape from these hot summer days in a crystal clear blue ocean on screen. And
Blake Lively makes the ride a sweet and comforting one all the well.
And just to point out……The Shallows looks amazing, with some
of the best cinematography in recent years. Every inch of a scene looks crystal
clear and enhancive to the point of crossing realism with surrealism. And while
watching this movie I realized The
Shallows is a great test run in how Disney could do the live action version
of The Little Mermaid. If so, I for
one am “hella” excited.
-
Maurice Jones
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHqVva6YyIk
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