Deep Rising (1998) 3.5 out of 5 stars
Imagine "Alien" invading "Titanic" . . . If you think this might be a fun or interesting combination, "Deep Rising" will be just your type of film. While it offers nothing new plotwise, the visual effects are truly stunning, and the action is nonstop.
There is really nothing to the story of "Deep Rising" that hasn't been told before. Just like in "Alien," some people are stuck in a remote location with a seemingly invincible monster that's picking them off one by one. As for comparing it to "Titanic," the only similarity is that the events occur on a really big cruise-ship.
The story begins as the newest and most state-of-the-art cruise ship sets sail on the South China Sea. When a traitor from among the crew shuts off all power, the ship loses its communication systems and starts floating helplessly on the South China Sea. Unfortunately for the passengers, the ship stalls right above the location that is home to a bored sea monster that needs a new toy.
Shortly after the attack by the sea monster, a band of gunrunners with the intention of hijacking the ship arrive on board to find that only three people have survived the slaughter: the captain (Derrick O'Connor), the ship's owner (Anthony Heald), and a con woman named Trillian (Famke Janssen) who was locked up in the galley because she had tried to rob the vault.
The antagonism between the stereotypical macho males stranded on the cruise ship is fun to watch; not only must they all try to survive the monster, but they must also survive their trigger-happy companions. The developing love story between tough guy Finnegan (Treat Williams) and Trillian, the woman who tries to act as tough as her male counterparts, is perhaps the most tired part of the film.
Thanks to the spectacular visual effects, "Deep Rising" rises far above mediocrity. The monster is elaborately developed and its victims are portrayed in gory detail.
The director wasn't shy about showing the monster in all its glory, another indication that this film relies on strong visuals rather than suggestion to frighten its audience.
In a superb scene, Trillian and Finnigan race a wave runner through the ship's narrow passages, trying to escape the clutches of the monster.
While "Deep Rising" relies on a somewhat tired storyline, the visuals are so exciting that its few shortcomings did not really matter.
Copyright (c) 1998 - Frederick Vallaeys All Rights Reserved
http://vallaeys.com
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