Peur bleue

I've seen a lot of movies, but I never want to claim to be an expert on anything. However, from what I've already seen, I realized that Portuguese cinema is much more specialized in comedies and telefilms than in dramatic material. Just think of Portuguese films (even recent productions, leaving aside the great and venerable classics with Vasco Santana and others) and probably most of the titles that will come to mind are comedies.

This film is therefore an outsider in the middle of the party, shall we say! So when I decided to see it I was already curious, but as I watched the film I started to think "where have I seen this before?". To my surprise, this is a remake of another movie I had seen a few years ago, "Open Waters 2". If a dramatic film is something unusual in Portuguese cinema, a remake of a foreign film is something I had never seen before. Director Sérgio Graciano dared, he took a different path from the others, and that is always an effort that deserves to be praised and encouraged, regardless of the result. And I want to make it clear that I leave here, to the director and the production, a special praise for doing something different.

The cast has reasonably well-known actors, who do a very good job, and with a lot of realism. Dânia Neto convinces us more when she pretends to be afraid of water than when she fights with her husband just because. Diogo Amaral also does valuable work here. Lourenço Ortigão and Afonso Pimentel end up with two of the most irritating characters (the smug rich boy and the goofy guy) but manage to get away with the task at hand. Dalila Carmo ended up with a less interesting character, which didn't stop her from doing a good job. Catarina Gouveia, who everything indicated that she would be here just to appear in a bikini or without it (in the "stupid Instagram brunette" style), also has some good scenes. I particularly liked the scene where the actress panics and questions how she could die with people she doesn't even know, far from everyone who is dear to her and who truly know her.

Technically, the film also has several points in its favor that deserve a mention: the cinematography is quite well achieved, with a very effective and intelligent use of light and color (the blue of the sky and sea, obviously, is the dominant color). The Madeira islands, where the film was shot, are magnificent, a piece of Paradise with the Portuguese flag pinned there, and I can't think of a better place for a film like this, although I could list several other places that might be appropriate, because we really have lucky to have a beautiful country that many of us know only the basics. The soundtrack, quite atmospheric, is good and does a smart job.

Now, let's talk about some things that I think could have been better. Although I praise the relative originality of the project, I have to deplore the lack of capacity of the screenwriters and producers to create good and really original stories in Portugal. For some time now, national cinema has lived on remakes (of national films) and increasingly idiotic comedies, without intelligence or elegance. This film was a step in a new and pertinent direction, but it's still a half-hearted step. One of the flaws that deserves criticism is the fact that, more than a remake, it is a copy of "Open Waters 2". Doing a remake is doing again something that has already been done, but that doesn't mean doing it equal, in every detail. I've seen remakes (foreign) where the production took risks and changed elements of the story, gave different endings, removed or added characters... all of this is legitimate, it can be done and adds some novelty flavor to the production. I regret that this was not done here. There is still a problem that I would like to raise... despite the credible way in which the cast worked, I felt several times that the technical team had a lot to improve, mainly in terms of the sound, the work with the sound design. The ambient and the noise of the waves, many times, almost cover up what is said by the actors and there are ways to work the sound in order to prevent that. The editing could also have been better, with better placed cuts and a series of continuity errors that are not admissible and need to be corrected. And last but not least... there's a baby on the boat. Why, during most of the time they are in the water, do those two dads barely talk about it? If I were the father, I would be more worried about him than about me. Just that.

The argument seams forced. Most of the dialogues aren't natural, with rigid language. The beginning of the film starts by setting up the relationships between the characters, but it starts off by demotivating the viewing of the rest of the movie. The movie then progresses going through all the expected cliches. Leaving little to the imagination, in a progression that is as predictable as it gets.

A good movie to study all that shouldn't be done.

This is a poor remake of an already unexceptional movie. A remake could make sense if there were significant cultural barriers or if the original was based on such old technologies that people wouldn't watch it anymore (like Metropolis - black and white, silent, old timey effects, etc, but still a story that can be made interesting to the public again if presented in a more modern format).

But they didn't remake 1927's Metropolis, they remade an average 2006 movie (itself already a sequel to a very similar and very average movie) which last aired on Portuguese TV's not that long ago. Not only did they not do a good job, but they resorted to what seems to be the reason behind the choice: getting a couple high profile Portuguese actresses to be semi-naked, which invariably attracts Portuguese viewers. It is a cheap shot in too many ways.

Just don't watch it. Very poor plot, actors aren't great.

A remake of a sequel to a movie from over a decade ago ... with the exact same premise. And the exact same nonsense. A boat is not supposed to be build like this, for exact that reason. But if you suspend your disbelief long enough, you probably won't care. But if you've seen Open Water 2: Adrift don't bother watching this (unless in the unlikely case of you wanting to ... no right? Just no!).

Lost they are ... or are they. I have to admit I'm not entirely certain, if the endings match, I just was thinking while watching this: I've seen this before ... exactly like that. So if you don't want to waste your time, do better than me