Into the Blue film review

certificate_15

INTO THE BLUE

Aimed squarely at the market that made The Fast and the Furious such a huge international success, Into the Blue takes some attractive young actors, puts them in bathing suits, and concocts a plot that allows them to swim around as much as possible, flashing pecs and bronzed skin in an attempt to cover up some of the loopholes that emerge in the story.

Paul Walker and Jessica Alba play Jared and Sam, a young couple who have spent several months living in their leaky boat in the Bahamas. They dream of becoming treasure-seekers, and when they come across some gold during a hunt, they believe that they may be on to something big. But inevitable obstacles emerge: rival treasure hunters, drug smugglers, and their friends Bryce and Amanda (Scott Caan and Ashley Scott) who arrive for a beer-soaked vacation and end up nearly ruining the potential fortune.

The first half of the film is enjoyable enough: particularly thanks to the good use of the locations, and the excellent underwater cinematography which looks beautiful throughout. The set-up of the initial find is well done and the first couple of twists retain the audience's interest, but once the script peaks some of the directions it goes in lack cohesion.

Walker and Alba certainly fulfil their eye candy requisites, although they are given little to do in terms of real characterisation. Indeed, both are upstaged by the arrival of Scott Caan, who delivers the most zest of any of the actors and is reminiscent of his father at the beginning of his career.

Into the Blue will no doubt find something of an audience, and as the winter approaches, it's certainly diverting to look at. Whether it has enough about it to spawn a sequel is doubtful, and it's best viewed by disengaging the brain beforehand.

Paul Hurley