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Open Water

(2004, Rated R, Thriller, Starring Blanchard Ryan, Daniel Travis, Saul Stein)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 17, age appropriate for kids over 18; suggested age 17.
  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Intense relationship story isn't for kids.

Why We Rated This not for kids

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    The only main character of color is the inept captain that inadvertently leaves the couple behind. Also, the couple are downright nasty to each other at times during their ordeal.
  • Violence:

    Intense peril, shark and jellyfish attacks (some blood) and death.
  • Sex:

    Shots of a naked woman lying in bed; she and her husband talk about having sex but end up not doing it.
  • Language:

    The couple use lots of profanity in frustration at their situation.
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Some people at the hotel are shown drinking, but if you blink you would miss it.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Open Water

Parents need to know that this movie isn't for kids. Although it has been called a modern day Jaws, it isn't a shark movie at all -- the sharks are merely background characters here. This low-budget, dialogue-heavy indie is really about the complex relationship between a married couple, and it will bore teens who are expecting a fast-moving horror movie with high-tech special effects and lots of gore. There are scenes of intense peril that may be too much for sensitive kids. There are shark attacks and we see blood, but the extreme danger the characters face is worse than any actual violence we see. There is a scene in which the couple talks about having sex (we see the woman naked), but they decide not to go through with it. There's a lot of strong language (which isn't too surprising given the couple's dire circumstances). The ending may shock and upset some viewers.

Read our full review by bethp

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the various reactions the couple have as they begin to understand how serious the situation is. Is it natural to assign blame at a time like this? How do the underlying problems in their marriage manifest when they find themselves stranded?

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Our Members Say

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 1
    I rate this title off for age 2 and give it 1.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Excessive consumerism
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    this movie was so unbeliably gay.;....

  2. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Massachusetts
    I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give it 3.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    not as good as i thought it would be

    If teens like intense horror movies then this is not for then. this movie is not about the horror it is about the married couples relationship. A couple is stranded in the ocean and they fight with one and swear. Because this movie is low budget the camera is bouncy but the acting isn't bad. The end of the movie is unexpected and horrible! and it is still not worth sitting through. GO ELSE WHERE!!!!

  3. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Wisconsin
    I rate this title off for age 17 and give it 0.0

    Stupid stupid stupid stupid

    You do not want to watch this movie!!! its so idIOTIC!!!!!!! if you thought this would be like jaws boy your wrong!!!! In the end the women drowns herself (im pretty sure she feeds herself to the sharks) DONT WATCH THIS MOVIE!!!

  4. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Texas
    I rate this title off for age 17 and give it 0.0

    Horrible Movie

    At first I thought this was going to be like Jaws or Deep Blue Sea, but I was terribly wrong. The whole movie is full of terrible language, one clothing malfuction, and a horrible ending. Basically the whole movie is about two people (husband and wife) who go on a scuba trip only to be left by their scuba captain. The rest of the movie shows the two trying to stay alive as they are attacked by sharks and other sea creatures. The ending is the most disturbing part. The husband dies because he lost too much blood (shark bite) and then the wife drowns herself. So all in all, if you want to see a good shark movie, watch Jaws. This is NOT a kids movie.

  5. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Oregon
    I rate this title off for age 2 and give it 0.0

    this movie is so dumb...............

    this movie is tarted there out in the ocean you know they are going to die so why make the time-wasting movie also it shows a guys you know which also wasnt needed oh also a womens anatomy so dont watch this movie

  6. Adult Reviewer
    I rate this title off for age 17 and give it 3.0

  7. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in California
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 2.0

    what happened?

    I felt that movie drag on quite a bit.. i mean, they're floating in the water. Its almost pointless because you know the outcome. Don't take a kid who is afraid of the water!!

  8. Adult Reviewer
    Anonymous
    I rate this title iffy for age 17 and give it 4.0

  9. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Ohio
    I rate this title off for age 11 and give it 0.0

    disappointing

    This was one of the dumbest movies I've seen in a long time. It was so predictable. Basically the whole movie was about two people floating in the water. In fact, the fact that these two people ended up floating in the water was pretty far fetched. I was really disappointed in this movie.

  10. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in California
    I rate this title off for age 17 and give it 1.0

    Too scary for kids!

    As a surfer, I try hard not to 'scare' myself silly with shark movies, but for some reason popped this one in the DVD. This is too scary for kids and will definitely give sensitive ones nightmares. Kids shouldn't have to be exposed to the terrible things that are highly unlikely to happen in life to them or their family. If you want a scary 'animal preys on human' movie, stick to 'Jaws', but don't let your kids under 15 watch that one either, unless you don't care if they ever learn to swim! On a cinematic value note -- this one could have been much better, just some better camera work could have made it more suspenseful.

  11. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title on for age 17 and give it 3.0

  12. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    Lives in California
    I rate this title off for age 2 and give it 4.0

    ok

    This movie I should nnnoooooooootttttttt have seen. I had nightmares that were really scary. The movie isn't too scary, But how you think about what will happen to the couple is the scary part. Every second that they are in the water you think they will die.

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