THE REEF

Australia, 2010, 94 minutes. Colour.
Damian Walshe- Howling, Gyton Grantley, Adrienne Pickering, Zoe Naylor, Kieran Darcy- Smith, Mark Simpson.
Directed by Andrew Traucki.

Reefs, dangers and sharks.

Andrew Trauick wrote and directed a small-budget crocodile thriller, Black Water. Modest, but quite effective in its way. The same can be said for The Reef.

The story is quite straightforward (and resembles an American film, Open Water). A group begin a voyage off the Australian coast to deliver a boat. They spend a day on a reef. Then the bottom of the boat encounters something jagged and capsizes. What are they to do, sink or swim? Most swim, one stays with the boat.

The main part of the film is the group swimming towards the reef, finding that they are being pursued by a shark.

The advantage of the film is the stronger than usual characterisations of the principal characters. We get to know them. They are quite ordinary people except for the skipper, Luke (Damian Walshe-Howling) who seems a decent chap but who is able to exercise leadership in decision-making and in encouraging morale. Needless to say, not everyone survives.

Another advantage of the film is the photography, much of it at ocean surface level, emphasising the vastness of the empty sea. There is also quite a deal of effective underwater photography, initially of the beauty of the reef, but then the focus on the shark and Luke’s need to continually look under water to assess the dangers. Filming was done off the Queensland coast at Hervey Bay and Bowen, with some Port Lincoln locations and quite an amount of circling shark footage.

Jaws has a lot to answer for! Audiences inevitably tend to move fairly quickly into apprehension mode when we see that ocean surface, when we see legs underwater, when the music suggests a shark is lurking. This works well here.

The film is not visually gory when the shark does attack. Rather, it relies on moods and fear, building up the suspense, understanding and sharing the terror of the individuals under threat. It is really scarier than any contrived slasher terror film because, while we might never be in such a situation ourselves, we know that it is more than possible for anyone. We identify with those in the situation, challenged as to whether we would stay with the boat or risk the seas to swim to safety and experience the unknown.

The Reef succeeds in what it set out to do.

1. The film allegedly based on actual events? The plausibility of characters, the situations? Audiences identifying with the characters, decision-making, fear?

2. The title and expectations?

3. The Queensland settings, the reef, the ocean, the sea photography, the underwater photography? The reef life? The shark footage?

4. The sense of menace, the shark attacks, the photography of the sharks, the attacks themselves, editing and pace, the musical score – and the memories of Jaws in situations, menacing photography, underwater photography?

5. The trip, the group arriving, their past friendship and relationships, the plan, the delivery of the boat, the visiting of the reef?

6. Kate and her visit to the shop, the shark teeth and the store manager explaining? Heightening anticipation?

7. Luke, his abilities, pleasant personality, his sense of drive, the decision maker, the past relationship with Kate, restoring it, her saying she was on holidays, the kiss, being hurt? His being in charge, saving the material from the upturned boat? The issue of sink or swim? Leader, compass and getting the directions, his continued encouragement, almost reaching land, the audience sad at his death?

8. Matt and Suzie, coming from the UK, their friendship with Luke, enjoying the trip, the crisis, the decision to go, Matt and his fears, Suzie and her anxieties? Swimming, the time taken? Suzie seeing things, Matt and his rescuing the board, the shark attacking him, the loss of his leg, his urging them to go on? Suzie and her outburst against Luke? Becoming calm, the island, the relief, the shark attacking her?

9. Kate and her life, her skills, on the boats? Partnership with Luke? Sister of Matt? The confusion, the kiss, apologising, the uncertainty? Staying on the boat, finally deciding to go, swimming, her fears, physical weakening, resting on the rock, not being able to save Luke?

10. Warren, ordinary, the fisherman, work on the boat, his fears, decision to stay, the shark circling? The information that he was never found again?

11. The reef itself, swimming, the exploration, the sudden low tide, the dinghy scraping the bottom? The engine failing, the current, Suzie being invited to steer, the bottom of the boat being scraped, capsizing? Hopes for rescue? The final information about what happened?

12. Audiences, identifying with the characters, the realistic situations, the what if...? The issue of terror?