Open Water (2003)

It took almost 30 years for a film to truly take the "terror in the water" concept to the next level, something that 130,000-dollar indie underdog Open Water pulls off in a frightfully intimate way. By tapping into the subconscious fear of isolation, the filmmakers tease the audience with a deep-rooted phobia that, thankfully, most will never have to face. The fact that the story plays on people's inherent anxiety of being completely separated from loved ones only elevates the tension to another terrifying level that many viewers will have a hard time facing. While the two leads do an admirable job of basically carrying a two-person film, the ultimate test will be if the viewer is drawn into the drama through their own experiences rather than just by watching the tale unfold. Oh yes -- and it doesn't hurt that those are indeed real sharks swimming around the actors! In fact, take the sharks away, and you still have an interesting tale to tell, though you can bet that the last half-hour wouldn't be as nerve-racking as this one is. Needless to say, if you're afraid of what lies beneath the ocean, there's a high chance that this movie will deeply affect you. Those looking for more standard and grotesque scares might come away disappointed, as will those who cast a critical eye in light of the Blair Witch similarities. For many moviegoers though, this is that kind of desolate nightmare that will take them quite a while to recover from. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide