Dark Waters

release year: 2004
genre: underwater monster/action
viewing setting: home DVD, 6/2/04

synopsis: A down-on-his-luck ex-researcher and his hot cohort are recruited to figure out what happened to an underwater drilling base (though we the viewers know it was genetically-engineered sharks.)

impressions: This was obviously inspired by Deep Blue Sea and while it wasn't as big a production, it wasn't bad at all. The CGI sharks looked good, the plot moved along briskly, the acting was mostly decent, and they even involved submarines.

things to watch for: when the first sub goes too deep and water starts spraying right on the woman's tank-topped chest - this had to be deliberate

something this movie has that no other movie has: sharks attacking a full-size U.S. nuclear submarine

acting: Lorenzo Lamas did a great job as the researcher/con man with a convoluted past. Simmone McKinnon (who I had never heard of before but who was also in Python 2) was his helper; her role and relationship are unclear but she seems to enjoy walking around in tank tops and halters, plus she shows potential for good acting and humor if she ever gets a major role in a mainstream movie. The guy who played the commander of the top-secret sub provided one of the worst, most over-the-top acting jobs I've ever seen.

final word: Well-done low-budget underwater monster movie, worth seeing.

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