Let's Rock

 

In my old age, I've become quite the fan of a little publication known as Readers Digest. Somewhere in between its brain teasers and helpful tips about using coffee grounds, you'll find quite a batch of essays that read like starting outlines for I Shouldn't Be Alive! episodes.

It's logical that I'd also enjoy these kinds of stories on film, especially when they involve doomed underwater disasters and pretty ocean cinematography.

Quick Plot: Sisters May and Drew have an annual tradition of scuba diving, but this year might be the last. When gliding through a scenic cave, a rock collapse above them sends big stones upon their heads. 

Less experienced Drew frantically searches for big sis May only to find her trapped under some broken, impossible to move sea debris. May is pretty level-headed...at first. Being underwater with limited oxygen and a ticking deathclock will eventually make that impossible (physically, since, you know, oxygen).

Drew is able to reach the surface, but their remote location means there's not a single living soul around to help. Back in she goes with a fresh tank, but this can't go on forever.

There's a bit of a lather-rinse-repeat rhythm to Maximillian Erlenwein's The Dive. Drew reaches May and they plan, Drew surfaces to try something, it fails, and she dives back in as May's fate darkens. 91 minutes is a short runtime for most films, but somehow The Dive still drags a bit.

Still, it's mostly efficient. The change of scenery out of and under water helps to keep the visuals moving, something the slightly similarly themed 47 Meters Down couldn't really overcome. The underwater cinematography is clear and crisp, and the actors are able to convey plenty of storytelling under scuba helmets.

High Points

Characters hallucinating on film is harder than it seems, but Erlenwein manages to make the tricks May's brain plays on her effective at breaking down her psyche

Low Points

For a film that could have used some more stuff to help expand its storytelling, it feels like the sisters' family backstory could have easily been given more development

Lessons Learned

Always bring a reel to an overhead environment

It's harder to break into a trunk than you'd think

Scuba diving involves far too much time math

Rent/Bury/Buy

Overall, The Dive is a good Sunday afternoon time killer. It looks good, moves fairly quickly, and delivers a decent amount of tension for 90 minutes. Find it on Hulu if the mood strikes.