The Deep

This is a fairly enjoyable, yet surprisingly brief story. It's more like an hour-long television drama than a proper film.

Not a whole lot happens. The story is very simple: the lead character is involved in a disaster at sea and must stay alive in icy Atlantic waters. Apparently it's a true story, and we get to meet the real hero at the end of the film.

There are certainly worse movies out there. My main gripe about this one is that there's just not a whole lot to it.

I think some of the best films these days are coming out of Scandinavia (I consider Iceland Nordic). "The Hunt" and "Headhunters" were very good, and I look forward to watching more of them.

Even as a viewer and even though you might feel at times like it, I'm pretty sure you won't be able to quit. And while that is not nearly as impressive as what you'll see in the movie (and after the movie is over, even in the special features of your disc hopefully), the movie shows you what endurance is about.

While there are no clear answers to some questions, the movie has a strong will just as one main character also does. You might feel indifferent in the middle of it (like another reviewer wrote), but I'm pretty sure you won't be by the end of the movie. It's just impossible not to be impressed by what actually did happen. Very well played and very well shot indeed

An amazing tale of survival with a strong performance by Ólafur Darri Ólafsson in the main role of Gulli.

This ties for the coldest a film has ever made me feel - along with Norway's The 12th Man. The whole ordeal is made the more harrowing by the true story angle.

It features some incredible cinematography. The Icelandic landscapes and scenery were breathtaking. The ocean shots really magnified the sense of loneliness and sheer odds against Gulli.

The scientific angle in the latter half of the film was interesting, though broke some of the momentum. In this sense, it felt like two films rolled into one. I liked how things came a bit full circle in the last few scenes though.

A solid (while not amazing) Icelandic film that I recommend to those into survival stories.

THE DEEP isn't an amazing film but it is a heartfelt and compelling one that tells an amazing true story. It's also one of those outdoor 'wilderness' type films that explores man's survival against the elements, and it has the novelty of being an Icelandic film too.

The story takes place in 1984 and tells of a group of fishermen being flung into the freezing Atlantic when their fishing boat sinks. One of the men decides to swim for land and the film tells his difficult tale with death and danger dogging his every stroke. The narrative involvement is slim, but the film offers fascinating visuals that truly get across the sublime nature of the frozen north.

Olafur Darri Olafsson (BEOWULF & GRENDEL) is excellent in the leading role and gives a truly naturalistic performance. The latter part of the film almost moves into X-Files territory but retains the realism throughout. Director Baltasar Kormakur seems to spend his time either making movies in his own country or popping over to Hollywood for the likes of 2 GUNS and CONTRABAND, but this is definitely the most interesting - and oddly enchanting - film I've seen from him.

This film is based on a real life drama where an Icelandic fishing vessel sinks and 5 crew are drowned. The 6th member of the crew survives hours in bitterly cold sea and swims miles to an island where he is rescued. The acting is brilliant and a realistic portrayal of the fisherman's ordeal. I also liked the before and after build up of the main character's lifestyle and the setting of Icelandic folk living in basic and difficult conditions but sharing a camaradie and kinship. Scientists were baffled as to how this apparently unfit man survived the extreme conditions and he became something of a celebrity and underwent investigative tests in America and UK. In the end he returned to his old ways of life but I think as a wiser and better man. He was a simple hardworking regular guy who survived extreme conditions through metabolism but also his dogged determination. I found it particularly moving to see footage of the real life person.