Deep Blue Sea (1999)

Searching for a cure to Alzheimer's disease a group of scientists on an isolated research facility become the bait as a trio of intelligent sharks fight back.

Director:

Renny Harlin

Writers:

Duncan Kennedy, Donna Powers,

Stars:

Thomas Jane, Saffron Burrows, Samuel L. Jackson

2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Thomas Jane	...	Carter Blake
Saffron Burrows	...	Dr. Susan McCallister
Samuel L. Jackson	...	Russell Franklin
Jacqueline McKenzie	...	Janice Higgins
Michael Rapaport	...	Tom Scoggins
Stellan Skarsgård	...	Jim Whitlock
LL Cool J	...	Preacher
Aida Turturro	...	Brenda Kerns
Cristos	...	Boat Captain
Daniel Rey	...	Helicopter Pilot (as Daniel Bahimo Rey)
Valente Rodriguez	...	Helicopter Co-Pilot
Brent Roam	...	Helicopter Winch Operator
Eyal Podell	...	Boy #1
Erinn Bartlett	...	Girl #1
Dan Thiel	...	Boy #2

Storyline

A businessman sinks $200 million into a special project to help fight Alzheimer's disease. As part of this project, medical biologist Susan McAlester rather naughtily figures out a way to genetically enlarge shark brains, so that disease-battling enzymes can be harvested. However, the shark subjects become super smart and decide they don't much like being cooped up in pens and being stabbed with hypodermics, so they figure a way to break out and make for the open sea...

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Plot Keywords:

shark | research | alzheimer's disease | storm | shark attack | 

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Taglines:

Bigger. Smarter. Faster. Meaner.

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Genres:

Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for graphic shark attacks, and for language

Details

Official Sites:

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. (alternate)

Country:

USA Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 July 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Alerta en lo profundo

Filming Locations:

Fox Baja Studios, Rosarito, Baja California Norte, Mexico

Box Office

Budget:

$78,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£1,946,454 (UK) (15 October 1999)

Gross:

£8,087,585 (UK) (3 December 1999)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros, Village Roadshow Pictures, Groucho III Film Partnership

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

LL Cool J performed the rap song Deepest Bluest (Shark's Fin) over the end credits.

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Goofs

As Janice and Franklin first talk near the water with the control tower behind, the sky alternates between partially cloudy and clear between shots.

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Quotes

Russell Franklin: What in God's creation?
Jim Whitlock: Oh, not His. Ours.

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Crazy Credits

At the beginning of the film, both the Warner Bros. shield and the Village Roadshow logo are depicted as being underwater.

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Connections

References Six Days Seven Nights (1998)

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Soundtracks

"Just Because"
Written by Troy Taylor and Charles Farrar
Produced by The Characters
Performed by F.A.T.E.
Courtesy of Ghettoworks

User Reviews

Just when you thought it was safe to go into the video store.

If 'Jaws' and 'Alien' had a baby, that baby would probably look a lot like Deep Blue Sea', a big, loud, dumb action movie that doesn't try to pretend to be anything else. It's short on logic, the dialog is dumb, most of the actors don't seem to be trying very hard, and the science is dubious at best, but despite all that, 'Deep Blue Sea' manages to entertain.

The plot of the movie is simple: a group of scientists at an undersea research facility are on the verge of discovering a cure for Alhzheimer's disease. How? By meddling about with the brains of live sharks (don't ask). Things are going swimmingly, until Mother Nature grows tired of having some of her creations tampered with. One typhoon and several gratuitous explosions later, the scientists find themselves cut off from the surface of the facility and at the mercy of a group of sharks that are smarter than the average fish. It seems that those meddling scientists made the sharks smart, and they're about to pay for their folly. With the base flooding and sharks roaming the corridors, the survivors find themselves in a race for survival.

For the most part, 'Deep Blue Sea' works fairly well, and there are some good jolts and action sequences, but at the same there's nothing here that's particularly fresh. However, there is one death that is so unexpected and surprising, you might find yourself hitting the 'back' button on the DVD remote to make sure you weren't seeing things.

'Deep Blue Sea' is not an actor's movie, but most of the cast acquits itself fairly well. Rapper LL Cool J does a good job with what could be a clichéd character (the religious man who struggles with his faith under dire circumstances), and injects the role with humanity and humor. He also has a very memorable encounter with a shark in a kitchen. Thomas Jane has the 'action hero' part, and he's solid, but unspectacular. Saffron Burrowes is okay as the lead scientist, and she's not above stripping down to her undies if the situation calls for it. But once again, no one will be watching 'Deep Blue Sea' for the acting. The sharks are the stars, and everyone involved with the movie knows that.

'Deep Blue Sea' is not a classic movie, but it delivers in its own modest way. If you can't get enough movies about people and the sharks that eat them, you can do much worse than this.