An Underwater Action/Adventure Masterpiece!

Author's Rating:

Pros: Stunning underwater cinematography coupled with a laudable plot effectively acted make this movie a winner.

Cons: Predictable plot and stereotypical goon secondary actors give viewers a breath of B movie status.

The Bottom Line: 
Into the Blue is a underwater tour de force with all the right ingredients for adventurers, armchair or otherwise, to experience a film that is at once captivating and exciting.

Author's Review
Without getting too deep into the plot, I'll try to provide a surface review that will hopefully provide just enough information to compel divers and non-divers alike to take a chance on this movie set in the Bahamas. In brief, a group of young divers discover treasure in two forms on a free diving salvo. Immediately from this point on a number of moral choices lead to varying degrees of success in salvaging their dreams of wealth and happiness.

Into the Blue is first and foremost a visually compelling motion picture with spectacular filming--fish are practically swimming out of the screen, divers seem real enough to touch, and the water's crystal clear depths are mesmerizing. What I found particularly well done was the realism applied to the diving scenes, both free diving and scuba diving--obviously these actors actually learned to dive in the filming of this movie and the stuntmen/women added scuba diving exploits that will make most divers shake their heads.

The "underwater cast," from spotted eagle rays to carnivorous tiger sharks, is astounding. Barring documentary work, Into the Blue has some of the finest diving scenes you'll find in mainstream movie production. The underwater fight scenes are spectacular, rivaling those of even Thunderball which until the release of Into the Blue remained the de facto standard in underwater battle.

Paul Walker's handling of a morally firm man (Jared) who fights internally (and externally!) with conflicting desires is perfectly intense. Jessica Alba (Sam) admirably portrays the conscience of the group providing believable integrity with a steadfast moral compass. Scott Caan (Bryce) is at once likeable and yet disagreeable all wrapped up in one package--his character acts as the "tipping point" that sets in motion an unfortunate karmic chain of events with the help of his female companion (Amanda) played by Ashley Scott.

Probably the only out-of-air emergency is that the movie's plot is often predictable, but the character portrayals by the four leads are exceptional and it is fathomable enough combined with the style and beauty of the filming to make Into the Blue a winner.