Renny Harlin aims to return to the cinematic world by reusing the formula of his successful thriller film Deep Blue Sea from 1999. Starring Aaron Eckhart and Ben Kingsley, Deep Water will hit theaters on May 1, and it boasts a budget larger than any project the director has undertaken in a long time. However, the performances of these two stars struggle against the shallow and dramatically weak characters of the production.

At the beginning of the film, we meet the characters on a passenger plane traveling from Los Angeles to Shanghai, who quickly find themselves heading towards disaster. Pilot Ben Kingsley is an experienced captain on the brink of retirement, while Aaron Eckhart plays a brave co-pilot who has never been a captain. A fire that starts in the cargo hold escalates into an explosion, ultimately turning the plane into wreckage.

Harlin's execution of this plane crash scene is quite successful; objects are hurled out of the plane, and weapons move like flying wine bottles. When plans for an emergency landing in Guam fail, the plane is forced to land in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Of the 257 passengers on board, about 30 survive, while the rest lose their lives.

However, a greater danger awaits the survivors: mako sharks. Harlin's approach to directing the shark attack scenes is completely different from the mysterious and fear-based approach of Jaws. Here, the attacks are clearly visible and occur frequently, played out in plain sight. Instead of sharpness, there is bloodiness; instead of imagination, there is direct depiction. We find ourselves anticipating that body parts will be torn off and wounds will be opened at any moment.

Renny Harlin's practical toolbox skills are undeniable. Yet, the characters lack depth, reducing the actors to mere moving pieces of flesh. Deep Water attempts to be a modern version of the disaster films of the 1970s; however, it would be more fitting to call it "Plane Crashes and Sharks in the Ocean." While the director's signature is clearly visible in this production, the film has turned into a shallow and dramatically empty vehicle for entertainment.