INTO THE BLUE

US, 2005, 110 minutes, Colour.
Paul Walker, Jessica Alba, Scott Caan, Ashley Scott, Josh Brolin, James Frain.
Directed by John Stockwell.

In the 1950s, a popular genre of action films was that of the deep sea diving thriller, with titles like Beneath the Twelve Mile Reef. Here is a contemporary version of this genre with popular star, Paul Walker (The Skulls, The Fast and the Furious) instead of Robert Wagner. Jessica Alba is the principled heroine and Scott Caan, the friend with selfish motives and slippery moral judgements about salvaged goods. The temptation for him is that the treasure is a huge cache of drugs. Director is former action actor, John Stockwell (Blue Crush).

There is lots of underwater photography as the young cast scour the waters for a Civil War ship and as they deal with the drugs. The sleazy villain is British actor, James Frain, but there is also an American villain (who outsmarts the British) played by James Brolin.

There is very little one can say about this kind of film. It aims at its younger niche market. It features personable and attractive (looking) stars. It does, however, take on a moral tone to show that greed and money are not everything and that we can be satisfied with self-respect and love. And who can quarrel with that – even if they do ultimately become millionaires because of their honesty!

1. Popular story for young viewers? The Bahamas? Diving, wrecks, underwater photography? Some melodrama and romance?

2. The Bahamas settings, the island,, the boats, at sea, underwater, the plane and its crash, the pirate ship and the salvage? The musical score?

3. Familiar ingredients for this kind film? Strong hero with integrity? Glamorous girlfriend with integrity? Callow friend, self-seeking and amoral? Glamorous girlfriend? Colombian drug traffickers? American partners? Local help?

4. Gerald, his work, pushing the man overboard, being fired, want to go out on his own? Sam, who work with the fish? Girlfriend? Glamour? Their work together, hopes? Bryce coming, is lawyer background, defending criminals, not revealing he was broke? Amanda, the glamour token? Out on the water, diving?

5. The possibility of the discovery of the pirate ship, regulations, notification? Sam and her strong stance?

6. The discovery of the drug plane, and with the drugs, Jared and Sam and their opposition? Bryce, his plans, saying everything was simple?

7. Bates, his boat, his work? His men? The local authorities in his pocket? Collaboration with Colombians? His killing the Colombians? Wanting the information from Jared, holding Sam?

8. Bryce and Amanda, getting the drugs? Amanda and the attack, her death in hospital?

9. Bryce, callow, trying to make things right? With Jared and the destruction of the drugs?

10. The discussions about the pirate ship, the background, the relics? Bryce offering them to Bates?

11. Jared, is planned, wanting $30,000 from Bates? Is going into the water, the destruction of the drugs? Bates, diving in his pursuit? The underwater fight, exploding the ship?

12. Later, finding the pirate ship, but Jared and Sam satisfied with their integrity and with one another?