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Parents' Guide to

Open Water

By Beth Pratt, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Intense relationship story isn't for kids.

Movie R 2004 79 minutes
Open Water Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 17+

Based on 1 parent review

eddie8108
eddie8108 Parent of 17-year-old
July 24, 2010
age 17+
sad stupid and scary

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

OPEN WATER is loosely based on the true story of a couple that was abandoned on a scuba trip in Australia. In this version, an overworked yuppie couple named Susan (Blanchard Ryan) and Daniel (Daniel Travis) take a last-minute vacation to a Caribbean island when they realize they've started to drift apart and need to reconnect. They go on a scuba trip, and they have a great time exploring the eels and sharks beneath the surface. Unfortunately, the captain messes up the head count and the boat heads back to shore without Susan and Daniel. It takes a while for the couple to realize that they're stranded in the open sea, but it quickly sets in as they have to deal with stinging jellyfish, cold temperatures, nausea, leg cramps, dehydration, and deadly sharks. As time passes, more sharks begin to circle, and the chance that they're going to be rescued lessens, they fight, blame each other, and ultimately cling to each other, bound by hope and love.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (7 ):

Open Water is definitely not for the Shark Tale crowd -- this is a very intense movie that is for adults only. Although the movie may appeal to teens who think it's a Jaws-like thriller, it's likely to disappoint them when they find out there are no fancy special effects or horror movie-like stylings.

It's ironic that it takes horrible circumstances to bring the couple back together, but the way they react reveals much about their marriage: Susan resents Daniel for not being ambitious, while Daniel resents Susan for always putting work first. Each blames the other for getting them in the predicament at hand, but they're really arguing about more than the current circumstances. As the situation becomes more dire and desperation sets in, they put the pettiness aside and lean on each other. The impending sense of doom is what makes this movie so disturbing -- the uncomfortable feeling one gets from watching these characters realize how bleak the situation has become is far worse than the sight of any blood or sharks floating around.

Talk to Your Kids 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?

Movie Details

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