Deep Rising
Originally written for The Occidental.
Are you one of the many waiting patiently for summer so you can go see some great sci-fi action movies? Well, wait no longer, because we have an early arrival.
Deep Rising has everything an action lover could long for: strong characters, good actors, great special effects, and lots of heart-pounding suspense. All of these are hung off a straightforward plot that doesn’t beat around the bush — the hallmark of any good action film.
As the film opens, a small (and rather ramshackle) boat is speeding towards the new mega-luxury-liner, the Argonautica. On board the craft are its crew, Captain Finnegan (Treat Williams), mechanic Joey Pantucci (Kevin J. O’Connor), and first mate Leila (Una Damon) and a band of mercenary thieves lead by Hanover (Wes Studi). Hanover’s plan (which he hasn’t bothered to tell Finnegan) is to stop the Argonautica dead in the water and steal everything. Simple, right?
Wrong.
The Arogonautica’s maiden voyage has been interrupted by something unknown but very strong… and very hungry. Finnegan, Hanover, and the others arrive to find the luxury liner empty except for a few survivors (including the lovely jewel thief Trillian, played by Famke Janssen of Goldeneye). Unfortunately, Finnegan’s boat hit some wreckage on its way in, and is crippled. Trapped aboard the sinking liner, the small group is forced to battle the creatures while they try to find a way to repair Finnegan’s ship.
As with any action film, much of Deep Rising’s strength is in its characters. Finnegan is a smuggler, an all-too-human criminal whose main aim in life is to survive. But push him to the limit, and he’ll do the right thing, usually against his better judgment. As a hero, he’s wonderful, and Treat Williams brings just the right amount of humanity to the role to keep Finnegan from being a cookie-cutter “rogue with a heart of gold.” Wes Studi is wonderful as the menacing, tightly controlled Hanover. Those who saw him as Magua in Last of the Mohicans will remember his underplayed but terrifying portrayal of a cold-blooded killer, and he does it again here. Hanover’s crew are an international group of crazy mercenaries, but he has the willpower to control them. Kevin J. O’Connor’s character, Joey, is a contrast to the two leaders. Terrified, somewhat inept anywhere but the engine room, and a constant source of frightened humor, Joey is a survivor. What saves him from being a typical geeky sidekick to Finnegan is O’Connor’s performance. Joey may seem like a spineless wimp, but he has a core of steel (it’s also worth noting that he, not Finnegan, is Leila’s boyfriend).
To top off all the great stuff, the special effects are wonderful. I’m not usually a big fan of Computer Generated Imagery, but CGI is used wonderfully here. The creatures are terrifying (as they should be), and there are very few shots which bring in the fatal “jeez, that looks SO fake” into one’s mind. The rest of the effects are good too, and range from an immense explosion to a dissolving mercenary (a good scene to study your shoes if you have a weak stomach!).
This being an action film, there is quite a bit of violence and swearing, but not so much as to make the film ridiculous. All the main characters tote guns at some point (in fact, Trillian is very good with one), and get to use them (on the monsters). The monsters devour people, and leave piles of bloody skeletons in their wake (the critters only want the liquids in your body, not the solid stuff!). And, as mentioned, we get to watch a fellow dissolve. However, most of the screen time in the film is devoted to suspense — our protagonists running from the monsters, trying to outwit the monsters, worrying about the monsters, and so on. This is not a movie for the faint-hearted, but if the nastiness doesn’t bother you, the rest of the film is an amazing ride!
So, what’s the bottom line? Deep Rising is a strong action movie, and well worth seeing. If you’re looking for character studies and thoughtful, art-film style dialogue, go somewhere else. This is one heck of a ride.