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| Deep Blue Sea | |
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 Theatrical poster |
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| Directed by | Renny Harlin |
| Produced by | Akiva Goldsman Robert Kosberg Tony Ludwig Alan Riche |
| Written by | Duncan Kennedy Donna Powers Wayne Powers |
| Starring | Thomas Jane Samuel L. Jackson Saffron Burrows Jacqueline McKenzie LL Cool J Michael Rapaport Stellan Skarsgård Aida Turturro |
| Music by | Trevor Rabin |
| Cinematography | Stephen Windon |
| Editing by | Derek Brechin |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Village Roadshow |
| Release date(s) | July 28, 1999 |
| Running time | 105 min. |
| Country |  United States Australia |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $60,000,000 |
| Official website | |
| IMDb profile | |
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This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (June 2008) |
Deep Blue Sea is a 1999 science fiction action horror film that stars Thomas Jane, Samuel L. Jackson, and Saffron Burrows. The film was directed by Renny Harlin and was released in the United States on July 28, 1999.
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Plot
On a remote top-secret island facility called Aquatica, a team of scientists are searching for a cure for Alzheimer's disease. The team consists of Dr. Susan McAlester (Saffron Burrows), the scientist behind the experiment who decided to begin finding a cure after seeing her father suffer from Alzheimer's; Jim Whitlock (Stellan Skarsgård); Dr. Janice Higgins (Jacqueline McKenzie); Carter Blake (Thomas Jane), a shark wrangler; Tom Scoggins (Michael Rapaport), an engineer; Sherman "Preacher" Dudley (LL Cool J), a religious, wise-cracking cook; and Brenda Kerns (Aida Turturro), the communications specialist.
Despite Carter's warnings, McAlester violates the code of ethics and creates three genetically engineered mako sharks. Her intent is to increase their brain capacity so the scientists can harvest tissue as a cure for Alzheimer's. Unfortunately, the increased brain capacity also makes the sharks smarter, faster and more aggressive--as well as growing to the size of Great White Sharks, increased memory and being able to swim backwards. Aquatica's financial backers are skeptical about the tests and send corporate executive Russell Franklin (Samuel L. Jackson) to visit the facility.
In order to prove that the research is worth it, the team schedules a test to remove brain fluid bearing the protein complex from the largest shark. After removing the tissue, they rejoice as it brings test cells back temporarily. However, after the test, the shark breaks free and bites off Whitlock's arm. Blake tries to shoot it, but McAlester saves it by pressing the release button, sending it back to the holding pen. An emergency request is made for paramedics, while the team gets Whitlock to the surface.
The medical helicopter arrives and they manage to get Whitlock attached to the winch cable, despite a severe storm. However, the cable motor fails and Whitlock is dropped into the water. The shark which McAlester earlier saved grabs the cable and drags the helicopter into the tower, resulting in a massive explosion that destroys the "surface level" (the facility's level above water) and stranding the surviving crew beneath. Back in the lab, Carter attempts to make contact with the tower but cannot get through. The large window facing the holding pen shows an object growing closer; the largest shark uses Whitlock's transport stretcher as a ram, crashing it into the glass window which then breaks, releasing a massive flow of water into the facility. Whitlock is killed and McAlester and the others escape the wet lab.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, which is now partly submerged, one of the sharks enters and attacks Preacher, eating his pet bird; Preacher climbs into the oven. Through constant ramming, the shark activates one of its controls, which fills the room with gas. Preacher escapes the oven using an axe and makes it to the exit, then throws a lighter, igniting the gas and blowing up the shark.
The scientists descend to the bottom level from which they planned to take a submarine to the surface, but find the room and sub destroyed. Scoggins and McAlester begin to argue when Franklin silences them before giving a speech about how the group will have to pull themselves together to find a way out. Unexpectedly, a shark leaps out from a pool behind him and grabs him; the two remaining sharks then devour him by ripping him into two pieces. The team makes way to the elevator shaft and starts to climb up. Carter attempts to open the door to Level 2 to drain off the water, but before he can, a shark rams through the door and the elevator shaft begins to flood. A part of the ladder falls backwards, Higgins falls into the water and is killed by the shark.
Blake and Scoggins go down into the water and activate bilge pumps to drain a stairwell so they can get to the surface. Scoggins reaches the controls and manages to turn the pumps on, but the third shark appears and kills him by shaking him to death causing him to be ripped in half . Meanwhile, despite Preacher's warnings, McAlester goes to her living quarters to get the files from the experiment. The second shark attacks her, but she manages to get on a shelf and breaks an electric wire; she throws the cable into the shark's mouth, electrocuting it.
Only Preacher, McAlester and Carter are left, discovering that the sharks have not just been trying to kill them, but were actually leading them to flooding the facility (sinking it and the titanium fences surrounding it) so they could escape into the open sea. The three swim to the surface and Preacher is grabbed by the third shark. He stabs it in the eye with his crucifix necklace and gets free, swimming back to the tower with Carter's help. Carter and McAlester then see the shark ramming the gates which had previously been above the water. Carter realizes that the gates had been titanium under the water, but the parts that had been above the ocean are only common steel. The large and mentally-enhanced mutant shark is about to break free and enter the open ocean.
Carter finds flares in the tower and decides that the shark has to be killed. Rigging a harpoon attached to a steel cable, he fills the harpoon with gunpowder, claiming it has the power of a stick of dynamite, planning to place the other end of the cable to a car battery to detonate it. He attempts to fire at the shark but it is too far away. McAlester decides she must try to lure it closer; she cuts her hand to tempt the shark with her blood--and jumps into the water. She cannot swim fast enough to escape and the shark rips her in half and eats her.
Blake jumps into the water in a vain attempt to rescue her and is attacked by the shark, but manages to grab it by its dorsal fin. Preacher picks up the harpoon and fires it at the shark, hitting Blake as well. The shark rams the gate again and manages to escape. Blake is pulled free and, at the last minute, Preacher places the other end of the wire to the battery, resulting in a massive explosion that kills the shark. In the end, they are both resting when they see a boat with the other lab staff heading towards them.
Note: In the film's original cut, McAlester lived, but test audiences made it clear how much they disliked the character (going so far as to shout "Die, bitch!" at the screen) as her actions had caused all that had gone wrong. Thus, the decision was made to re-shoot the ending so that her character died. Conversely, Sherman 'Preacher' Dudley, played by LL Cool J, was to die but test audiences loved the character so much that filmmakers re-shot the ending and had him live.
Cast
- Thomas Jane — Carter Blake
- Saffron Burrows — Dr. Susan McAlester
- LL Cool J — Sherman "Preacher" Dudley
- Michael Rapaport — Tom "Scoggs" Scoggins
- Stellan Skarsgård — Dr. Jim Whitelock
- Samuel L. Jackson — Russell Franklin
- Jacqueline McKenzie — Dr. Janice Higgins
- Aida Turturro — Brenda Kerns
Trivia
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Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (June 2008) |
- Samuel L. Jackson references the film in his DVD commentary on Snakes on a Plane. After giving a noble speech about films and the movie-making business, he ends by saying: "The last time I made a speech like this, a shark jumped up out of the water and killed my ass!"
- A running gag in Clerks: The Animated Series featured Samuel L. Jackson being eaten by a shark without warning, much like in the film.
Sequel
According to Moviehole, Warner Bros. is at work on Deep Blue Sea 2.[1]
References
- ^ "Warner Brothers Returns To The Sea", Moviehole (2008-8-18).
External links
- Official site
- Deep Blue Sea at the Internet Movie Database
- Deep Blue Sea at Rotten Tomatoes
- Deep Blue Sea at Metacritic
