Deep Rising
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Movie Reviews of Deep Rising
Movie Review: Greatest horror movie ever created by 5 Stars
This movie is so great that they should make 2nd movie call "Monster Island:DEEP RISING 2". With different characters.Movie Review: Giant Carnivorous Worms Attack!
Summary: 4 Stars
This movie proves that there is a region between big budget science fiction thrillers like "Starship Troopers" and "Independence Day" and low budget stuff that is barely tolerable (or intolerable in many cases) such as "Blood Surf." We once called these movies B-science fiction movies, though that terminology is somewhat out of style. Regardless, this movie is an excellent B-movie that is a lot of fun to watch.
This movie does not take the easy way out by having a nice simple plot. The plot starts simple enough, but then gets very complicated. Fortunately, the giant carnivorous priapulid worms that the actors encounter manage to solve much of the complexity.
The movie begins with a nice simple attack on a cruise ship. The ship's owner is having a little money problems and decides the easy way out is to have the ship sunk, which then allows him to get the insurance money. However, when the hired mercenaries board the ship they are unable to find anyone, and they keep hearing strange noises. Then mercenaries start disappearing into the water pouring into the ship's bowels.
Interlude time: While we are waiting to get a clear view of whatever is running around making people disappear we meet a burglar, Trillian St. James (Famke Janssen) and we learn more about the captain of the ship carrying the mercenaries, John Finnegan (who was clueless about why he was hired), well played by Treat Williams. We also meet a number of mercenaries, albeit briefly in many cases, and finally encounter the captain of the cruise ship and the owner. Of course, they are all blathering about something wandering about the ship and eating people, but we know better. Right?
Okay, after finding that there are people on the ship after all, just not as many as the mercenaries initially thought, they finally meet their first priapulid worm. Of course, the meeting does not go well for the worm (the mercenaries are well armed) or the mercenaries (the worms are well-teethed), and things begin to spiral out of control from there. Everyone finally gets the bright idea that they should forget about stealing and robbing and sinking the ship and just getting off the ship and away from the ship. Unfortunately for the people on the ship, the worms have other ideas that involve pulling people into their gut and digesting them alive.
The remainder of the movie is a cat and mouse, or worm and man, game. You must not think that these worms are your typical earth-type worms. These worms move like extremely fast, flexible and slimy snakes. These worms have nasty mouths and can suck you into their gut quicker than you can say "Look out!" or "AAHHH!" The worm then slowly digests the victim. In once scene the mercenaries and sundry others manage to remove a victim from a worm. It turns out that was not such a good idea (I will not attempt to describe that particular scene).
I was afraid that this movie was going to turn into a cheese fest. However, it turned out to be surprisingly good. The worms were clearly CGI, but they still looked very good. There are scenes where the worms interact with their surroundings, and those scenes are uniformly excellent. The scenes may not be believable, but they are well done. The mercenaries and the worms are well-matched, and I thought there was never a certainty in the outcome.
If you can believe that worms that are usually no more than six inches or so in length can somehow be many feet long, and can move about as fast as a running man, and if you like Treat Williams or Famke Janssen, this movie is a popcorn munching treat. However, you may want to put away the popcorn when that guy pops out of the worm; that scene is really gross.
Movie Review: Deep Rising is a load of mindless fun.
Summary: 4 Stars
The audio and video portions are a standout, but not much else went into the DVD production of this Hollywood Pictures release under the Disney umbrella. The single layer-disc contains the 2.35:1 widescreen version, but without anamorphic enhancement. From the static menu are some basic options, no supplements are included except for a trailer found under the inappropriately named "Extra Feature" category. Talk about your extra disappointment. Still, that's all fine and dandy if the disc isn't over priced at $29.99. Unless it is a blockbuster title, I don't find the incentive to pay for that much. I hope that Disney would follow the example of Warner in releasing moderate hit titles at under $20. That goes out to Paramount and Fox releases as well. I have little complaint when it comes to the transfer of the DVD. The presentation is smooth and exhibits none of the jaggedness or shimmering. Images are a tad soft on some scenes, but detailed with occassional grains. The film is set in a mostly dark environment; the cruise ship is stranded in a violent storm and most actions take place below the deck in half-lit corridors. Black and shadow detail are crucial in such an environment and thankfully the picture exhibits clearly defined outlines and depths, instead of a muddy mess. In fact, some of the creature effects have too strong of an outline which bring attention between the real setting and digital effects. But that is not something that the transfer could improve on. Colors are well saturated and the luxurious interior of the ship provides for an absorbing display.
The special effects by Dream Quest and makeup effects by Academy Award winner Rob Bottin (The Thing, Total Recall) are generally quite impressive and nothing cheesy like Anaconda. The amount of gores approach that of Starship Troopers. In one shocking scene, the cargo hold is filled with human remains of recent victims, minus the skins. I was having a pizza went that scene came on, let just say it was very hard to swallow afterward. But five minutes later, I was chomping away. In another gruesome scene, a partially digested crew reaches for help to the remaining survivors as the creature's acid slowly dissolves his body. The effect was done by Blur Studio using computer generated imagery tracked into a live-action shot. For the climatic finale, the cruise ship Argonautica was blown to pieces. The pyrotechnics made realistic by actually blowing up a 110-foot model of the ship.
The encoded Dolby Digital soundtrack is the main event of this DVD. The violent storm unleashes thunders that are incredibly deep in reveberation. The seemingly unstoppable creatures would just break through metal corridors and compartments in pursue of victims. The sound effects of destructions are powerful and dynamic, actively involving all speakers. The metal hull and pipes lend to the eerie echoes of creaks and grinds that are projected throught a large soundstage with precise localization. Bass extension is a knock-out during the appearing of the big creature and on the final denotation of the ship. Jerry Goldsmith provides an adequate score and scary sound cues to get the pulse racing around every corner.
Deep Rising is a load of mindless fun. A perfect film to watch when your buddies are coming over and they demand some entertainment from your home theater setup. The last thing you want to show them is something like Hope Floats. Even Sandra Bullock wouldn't be able to prevent a mutiny in your living room then. So relax, rent Deep Rising, have a few drinks, and everyone will have a good time. That is until you've to clean up the mess afterward.
Movie Review: "Deep Rising" hops between genres, and does so swimmingly
Summary: 4 Stars
In 1987, a very peculiar film called "Extreme Prejudice" came out. At first, it was a simple love triangle - two men loved the same girl. Then it became a good guy/bad guy tale with one of those men being a sheriff and the other a drug kingpin. THEN, as if that weren't enough, a US special forces team doing some shadow ops shows up, and puts themselves right into the middle. "Extreme Prejudice" wasn't easily definable, but it was enjoyable. "Deep Rising" is a descendant of sorts.The movie starts off with a band of mercenaries carrying a band of mercenaries to a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean, where an inside contact is sabotaging the ship. It's modern-day piracy, and all is going to plan until....something...happens and when the mercenaries arrive, the entire ship is empty with nary a sign of any life.
That's all in the first 15 minutes.
Directed by Stephen Sommers (of "The Mummy" and "The Mummy Returns") fame, "Deep Rising" is a hodge-podge of different genres, but Sommers manages to pull it off with the same ingredients that made his "Mummy" franchise such a success. The writing is smart and wicked, blending together comedic and suspense elements seamlessly. The casting is pitch-perfect, with Treat Williams playing the wisecracking protagonist and Kevin O'Connor wonderful as his sidekick Pantucci. Perhaps even more appealing is the band of pirates, familiar faces all, led by Wes Studi (Last of the Mohicans), and featuring Djimon Hounsou (Amistad), Trevor Goddard (Mortal Kombat), and Jason Flemyng (Snatch) among others. These are all well-versed character actors who have covered similar territory before, and bring the necessary panache and confidence to their roles. Jerry Goldsmith gives it all the right tone, with a quirky score that fits to a tee this genre-hopping film.
"Deep Rising" is enjoyable pulp cinema, pulled off with style by Sommers & Co. For anyone looking for a great popcorn film, track down this overlooked 1998 film and hop onboard for the ride.
Movie Review: A little bit of humour goes a long way!
Summary: 4 Stars
The more I watch this film, the more I like it. I recently re-watched it after seeing DEEP BLUE SEA. DEEP RISING is aimed at a lower level, really, and I think it's better off for it. A B-movie at heart, DEEP RISING conquers DEEP BLUE SEA because it never once takes itself seriously, and the blend of light comedy and horror works well (director Sommers proved it a successful formula later with THE MUMMY).It's not just the gags that I like, either. There's something about the beginning of the film that I find curiously evocative - this high tech speedboat racing racing racing with single-minded, straight-line purpose toward an unknown destination in complete darkness. The fact that the audience knows what the crew will find when they arrive makes it more tantalizing.
Still, with a B-movie one must have B-movie expectations. The CG effects are only average and often unconvincing. The plot motivations are ridiculous. The acting ranges from extremely engaging (Treat Williams) to labored (Anthony Heald).
The DVD presentation is sparse (typical for a Hollywood Pictures release). The transfer is great, but non-anamorphic. There is a trailer, but nothing else of note. The sound quality is exceptionally good.
Sorry to go back to this comparison, but here I go anyway. Where DEEP BLUE SEA is lofty, DEEP RISING is lowbrow. Both are decent films, and each has its strengths over the other, but since this one is a heckuvalot of fun (and the other just plain isn't), I'd rather watch DEEP RISING again.
I hope you found this review informative! Thanks for reading.