Something in the Water sets out on an ambitious cinematic journey. A group of friends travel to a tropical paradise for a wedding celebration, but their getaway takes an ominous turn when a shark attack leaves them stranded at sea. Beyond the thrills of sharks in the water, the film aims to thoughtfully explore deeper themes of trauma, relationships, and human resilience.
Meg and her friends board a boat for an outing that spins distressingly off course. Their phones are stored away to enjoy an unplugged adventure, yet unknown dangers lurk beneath the waves. As injuries mount and tensions rise trapped aboard their damaged vessel, memories and old wounds are stirred up within the tight-knit circle. Each woman faces physical limits and inner demons with the unforgiving ocean all around.
Director Hayley Easton Street shows flair for imagery, capturing the scenic locale and vulnerability of tiny humans on big waters. But the ambitious script bites off more than it can chew, skimming surface levels in addressing complex issues. What momentum the threat of sharks brings stalls in drawn-out interpersonal drama. Tone veers from weighty to levity without resolution.
With a sharper edit and more assured grasp of weaving societal commentary into suspense, this film could have ventured into deeper creative depths. As is, it never fully delivers on potential to either unnerve or edify. The voyage sets sail with good cinematic intentions, but loses course along the way.
Seafaring Sorrows
Let’s talk about the characters at the center of this seafaring drama. We have Meg, still processing a painful history, who agrees to attend her ex’s wedding despite challenges. Scarred from a brutal hate crime that ended their romance, she struggles with PTSD and old feelings stirred up. Her ex Lizzie seems well-meaning but oblivious to trauma’s depths.
Joining them are lifelong friends Cam and Ruth, excited for tropical fun before the nuptials. Cam lends comedic relief with witty quips, while kindhearted Ruth empathizes with all. Then there’s Kayla, who blames herself for Meg’s attack and their split, now seeking amends.
This crew boards a boat to revel on small islands, phones away for an “unplugged” break. But writer Cat Clarke wastes no time ramping up the risks. Hardly offshore, Ruth suffers mysterious bite wounds that shock all. As she bleeds out, panic sets in while rushing back through treacherous waters.
Disaster strikes when the wounded boat hits reef, puncturing its hull. Stranded with rising waters and an unseen killer circling, the women fight to survive this unforeseen terror while old disputes resurface. Tensions rise with little hope of rescue as their tenuous bonds are tested like never before.
With the tropical paradise revealed as a trap, they face either being shark bait or turning on one another in a desperate bid to escape the depths. But will any make it back to shore alive from this ill-fated seafaring getaway gone wrong?
Undertow of Emotions
Let’s dive into how Something in the Water handles its serious themes. The film aims to show trauma’s lingering effects on Meg and explore friendship’s power through adversity. Giving a character a violent assault in their backstory tries tapping real human struggles. But does the movie do this messy subject justice?
I’d say the film gets in over its head. It briefly acknowledges Meg’s painful history then rushes into more peril without properly examining her healing process. We see flashes of PTSD, yet her trauma feels superficial—more a plot device than fully realized character arc. When drama intensifies, the shifting mood feels disjointed, undercutting weighty moments with flippant humor.
Furthermore, packing multiple crises into a tight runtime stunts each storyline’s growth. The ensemble dynamics deserve more care, as fractured relationships demand repair during their ordeal. More nuanced scripting could’ve imbued interpersonal strife with richer emotional depth instead of thin melodrama.
Unfortunately, Something in the Water proved unable to smoothly tie its threads together. Well-meaning attempts at complexity came across as disjointed rather than poignant. Serious issues surrounding assault’s impacts felt glossed over in the rush to reach the expected genre beats. That left its meatier themes only skimming the surface of profundity like the stranded cast skimmed atop the surging sea.
While its scenic vistas and casts’ potentials show glimmers, this film ultimately drowns in its own inability to weave together drama and entertainment into a cohesive, thoughtful whole. With some deft revision, it could have explored humanity’s strengths and fragilities far more movingly. As is, the voyage proves an unsteady one.
Sharks Without Bite
Something in the Water had all the ingredients to craft an unnerving shark menace. But weak execution meant its bite lacked real punch. With more potent buildup and effects, tense scenes could have gripped viewers in aquatic terror.
Early on, ominous foreshadowing teased the threat lurking below. Lingering shots framed women’s dangling legs as shark snacks, hinting horrors awaiting. Strong opening attacks also cut straight to action. Yet these flourishes felt isolated – the beast remained mostly unseen. Without a truly frightening reveal, it struggled to seamlessly integrate into the unfolding drama.
Reveal scenes then struggled to sell the shark’s fearsome nature. Overhead shots portrayed it like a goldfish leisurely cruising, sapping tension. When it lunged from the depths, cartoonish movements and iffy effects yanked viewers from the immersive experience. More visceral, convincing displays were needed to instill authentic panic as the hunter stalked its prey.
Potentially gripping sequences like rushing attacks and climactic showdowns also lacked real edge-of-your-seat energy. Rather than ratcheting up suspense through the creature’s precise, powerful movements, it often spawned unintentional laughs with its silly, disconnected antics. Viewers wanted to feel the cold shock of realizing how outmatched the women were against its raw strength and speed.
With a stronger creative vision balancing sophisticated filmmaking techniques, this shark could have emerged as a primal, unyielding force of nature. Steadier shots conveying its muscular prowess through swirling waters may have left an enduring impact. More realistic motion coupled with gruesome maulings may have truly shaken viewers to their core, elevating transient jumping scares into a sustained atmosphere of unnerving lethality.
While the premises was there, execution fell short of creating that all-consuming primeval dread. With committed focus on building an authentic, ceaselessly threatening shark presence, Something in the Water could have plunged deeper into visceral aquatic terror.
Cast Bravery Against the Elements
Let’s give credit where due – taking on roles that place you in peril’s path requires nerves of steel. Something in the Water’s performers show guts facing marine monsters and Mother Nature’s fury.
Hiftu Quasem leads as Meg, struggling with past demons. Flashes of hardness hint at resilience beneath trauma’s scars. Lauren Lyle stands out too, imbuing friendship and regret into Lizzie. Their chemistry, though tested terribly, feels authentic.
Production merits praise for settings literally and figuratively breathtaking. Palm trees and crystal seas showcase a paradise turning nightmarish. Cinematography captures island beauty, from coastlines to coral gardens in vivid detail. You almost feel trade winds’ spray watching these ladies’ plight unfold on screen.
Yet limited funds yield mixed results. Props and situations sometimes appear amateurish against real ocean backdrops. Effects vary from impressively eerie to unintentionally amusing. Turning ravenous sharks into CGI cartoon villains lessens the realness these roles demand.
Still, faults seem born from passion, not laziness. Directors and supporting crew fight valiantly to realize a laudable vision against adversity. Their commitment retains audience investment, even when technical troubles arise. Where hearts and hard work lead, imperfect results can still transport us if stories strike true notes. For striving to share timely tales with care and conscience, respect is due.
Untapped Depths
Something in the Water shows flashes of intriguing ideas beneath the surface, yet fails to take full advantage. The setup teases complex themes of trauma’s toll and friendship’s power, with a premise primed for chills. But weaknesses in execution keep its narrative from exploring real depths.
We’re introduced to likeable leads coping with past pains, their camaraderie promising grounds for meaningful character studies. And being stranded at sea opens avenues for psychological suspense and frights. Early scenes cultivate an unsettling ambiance of vulnerabilities exposed.
Regrettably, momentum stalls midway. Where building tension and moral inquiries seemed headed, we’re instead left treading water. Melodrama replaces menace, minimizing scares in favor of drawn-out interpersonal squabbles. Lost opportunities for emotive punches or stealthy shocks as danger looms large are missed chances to thrill.
Technical troubles also surface. Uneven CGI mars some climactic creature scenes, disrupting crucial atmosphere. And editing issues create a choppy flow that hampers getting pulled into the characters’ dire straits.
Yet sparse high points show glimmers of what could have been with tweaking. With a tighter focus on crafting an edge-of-your-seat experience riffing on real fears, deeper dives into the cast’s psyches, and polishing visual elements, this film’s submerged strengths may have shone through brighter. As is, Something in the Water only teases tantalizing potential left mostly unplumbed in its waters.
Not Quite Biting
Something in the Water had the right ideas at its core – exploring meaningful themes through likeable characters amid suspenseful shark thrills. But good intentions alone can’t make a great film, and this one’s uneven execution prevented it reaching deeper waters.
We’re teased with complex issues around trauma and friendship that could have been impactful. And initial scares hinted at an edge-of-your-seat creepfest. Yet overly drawn-out lulls robbed the momentum, and melodrama replaced menace. A tighter, more consistent blend of thought-provoking drama and pulse-pounding horror may have turned potential into praise.
It’s a shame missed chances kept this movie from making stronger waves. With surer directing hands balancing its elements, this gang of gals and their unnerving ordeal could have left real marks. As is, while some standout moments surface, its narrative gets bogged down, and the sharks remain more silly than scary.
With some fine-tuning, Something in the Water may have cranked the tension to eleven and explored its intriguing themes in deeper depths. But ultimately, its parts never quite meshed into the satisfying whole it teased. It dipped its toe in thrilling waters, but simply didn’t dive in for the kill.
The Review
Something in the Water
While Something in the Water had seeds of promise in its premise and themes, uneven pacing and an inability to balance its core elements into a truly edge-of-your-seat experience keep it from fulfilling its potential. With surer direction, this film may have explored weightier issues and delivered the scares in a more unsettling, coherent package. As it stands, it provides some unforgettable moments but ultimately proves too shallow to leave deep marks.
PROS
- Interesting premise exploring trauma and friendship
- Strong cast and potential for character development
- Occasional tense scenes and visually striking imagery
CONS
- Uneven pacing with prolonged lull in action
- Fails to maintain suspense and tension throughout
- Sharks not utilized effectively and proven as frightening threat
- Tonal inconsistencies undercut scares and emotion
