Review: Into the Blue (2005)

In keeping with being open and candid in the reviews, it must be made clear that expectations for Into the Blue (considering the cast and filmmaker involved) was relatively high, if only because of my affinity for action/adventure movies and the possibility of a gripping story that I would have daydreamed about during my scuba diving lessons years ago. Boy, was my trust betrayed. Even though the plot about a group of young wannabe treasure hunters who stumble onto a buried 17th century pirate ship (next to a downed plane full of cocaine) holds a lot of potential, nothing of the outcome is anything other than a glossy advertisement for string bikinis and 6-week abdominal workouts. Everything Into the Blue attempts to achieve – action, suspense, and a laughably tepid romance – fails miserably and is a testament to the quality of the screenplay, the actor’s lack of charisma, and the director’s refusal to infuse the action with any sense of wonder and energy. Though the film looks good in the superficial sense, with rich underwater cinematography and the actors’ (notably Jessica Alba) incredibly sculpted bodies, these serve as nothing more than window dressing compensating for the ridiculously thin and ultimately dull storyline that comes close to reaching an unforgivable two hour running time. Whereas movies like The Mummy and The Deep have the ability to remain a guilty pleasure, Into the Blue fails even this small feat due to the lack of story; nothing happens for almost two-thirds of the movie and all we’re left with is one long setup that goes absolutely nowhere, with scene after scene seemingly shot only to show Paul Walker’s abs and Jessica Alba’s ass. Well, if you’re a prepubescent moviegoer who appreciates this type of in-your-face eye candy and doesn’t want to be bothered with conventions like plot, story and strong characters, then this type of movie will be your shining star. But let this be known: I feel sorry for you and the people involved this shallow attempt at entertainment.

Richard Saad
© Cinephile Magazine, 2006