6.3 | / 10 |
Users | 3.9 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.6 |
Researchers on the undersea laboratory Aquatica have genetically altered the brains of captive sharks to develop a potential cure for Alzheimer's disease. There is one unexpected side effect. The sharks are getting smarter. Which could mean trouble for the researchers. And lunch for the sharks.
Starring: Thomas Jane, Saffron Burrows, Samuel L. Jackson, Jacqueline McKenzie, Michael RapaportHorror | 100% |
Thriller | 86% |
Action | 8% |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
German: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Japanese: Dolby Digital 2.0
Japanese is hidden. German track encoded on disc but not mentioned on back cover
English SDH, French, German SDH, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Bulgarian, Croatian, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Hebrew, Korean, Norwegian, Romanian, Swedish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Nature can be lethal, but it doesn't hold a candle to man.
Renny Harlin seemed poised for a major breakout after he directed the entertaining Die Hard 2: Die Harder and the exhilarating Cliffhanger in the early 1990s, but alas, his career stagnated
with a string of mediocre big-budget Action movies. Harlin's films suffer not from a lack of technical proficiency -- he can be counted on to craft a
nice-looking and energetic movie -- but instead an absence heart and purpose, two key ingredients even in the Action genre. His films seem to settle
for a big scope, loud violence, and plenty of adrenaline, but such attributes can only take a movie so far, and Harlin's become something of an anomaly
as a filmmaker with one excellent film (Cliffhanger) under his belt and a bunch more that could have been so much better had they found
more drama and emotion to counterbalance the overload of action. He's kind of a Michael Bay-lite, a director who knows both the nuts-and-bolts and
the finer points of the Action movie better than most, and like Bay, his films rarely seem to excel beyond the basics. Deep Blue Sea is perhaps
Harlin's most generic picture, a "smart shark" movie that's packed with high energy moments but that's lacking anything else to solidify it as
something
greater than a coherently-assembled string of action scenes. In other words, it's typically Harlin, a fine movie from a technical perspective but one that
doesn't really resonate the way it should.
Real, mechanical, or CGI? Only Renny Harlin knows for sure.
Deep Blue Sea bites into Blu-ray with a steady and pleasant 1080p transfer. Although contrast seems occasionally out of balance and flesh tones exhibit a red push, Warner's transfer is generally handsome and film-like in texture, showcasing decent detailing and retaining a fair amount of grain. Details are strongest in close-up scenes; the image's dominant cold and watery gray-blue color scheme gives the image something of a slightly reserved appearance, and as a result backgrounds can appear a bit dulled, drab, and flat. The transfer is additionally neither super-sharp nor terribly soft, instead finding a rather pleasing middle ground throughout. There's no evidence of excessive digital tinkering, blocking, or banding. Blacks are stable throughout as well. Deep Blue Sea's transfer is unremarkably solid; it's not breathtaking and it's no way a disaster, either. This is an accurate and well-rounded Blu-ray transfer from Warner Brothers.
Deep Blue Sea's aggressive DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack lacks the absolute stability and crispness of the best lossless tracks, but it's nevertheless a rip-roaring good time that's loud and packed with excitement. The track is spacious and smooth, with music and sound effects both spilling out of every speaker. While the track never finds that pinpoint accuracy that seamlessly places the listener in the midst of the action, the sheer force behind the track almost makes up for what it lacks in precision. Bass rumbles throughout the listening area with regularity, and the heavier action scenes are as well-realized as the calmer elements heard primarily during the opening act where water gently rolls around the stage and seagulls merrily fly overhead. Later, a potent thunderstorm tears through the soundstage, and various heavy effects -- rushing water, explosions, and screams -- penetrate the listening area with startling authority. Dialogue is accurately relayed through the center speaker with a few nice echoing effects spilling out of the sides. As with the video, Warner's soundtrack is very impressive but not quite to the level of format perfection; fans should nevertheless find a great deal to like about this lossless presentation.
Warner Brothers scrapes together a few extras for this Blu-ray release of Deep Blue Sea. Things begin with an audio commentary track with Director Renny Harlin and Actor Samuel L. Jackson. Discussions include the origins of the film, the technology behind it, changes to the script, shooting locations, special effects, the performances of the mechanical sharks, and everything else that commentary veterans should expect of a track accompanying a midlevel movie; it's for diehard fans only. When Sharks Attack (480p, 15:02) is a basic behind-the-scenes piece that focuses on all the important shark elements, including shooting with real sharks, working with the mechanical sharks, and building them in the digital realm. This extras also touches on the film's score. Sharks of the Deep Blue Sea (480p, 8:19) is little more than an extension of the last piece as it further analyzes the sharks seen in the film. Also included is a selection of five deleted scenes with optional director commentary (480p, 7:59) and the Deep Blue Sea theatrical trailer (480p, 2:22).
Good cast, bland movie. Deep Blue Sea by its very nature was never destined for greatness, but the film could have benefited from a little more purpose beyond being merely a showcase for one shark attack after another. Deep Blue Sea works well enough in a vacuum; as mindless entertainment it does the trick, but more demanding fans might want to look elsewhere for their Action/Horror movie entertainment. Warner Brothers' Blu-ray release of Deep Blue Sea features a quality technical presentation and a few extras, but the quality of the movie relegates this one to a recommendation as a rental only.
2012
20th Anniversary Edition
1998
2020
Collector's Edition
1995
1999
1997
[•REC]⁴: Apocalypse / [•REC]⁴: Apocalipsis
2014
2013
Director's Cut
2000
1975
Warner Archive Collection
1978
2002
Original Unrated Cut
2005
2005
2010
2009
2009
2019
1984
2013