Deep Rising is a good film. It is an example of a well made B movie. A group of mercenaries hijack a cruise ship that happens to host a giant sea creature- You can't make this up and it works. This is a cheesy blast and both Treat Wiliams and Famke Jannsen are good and one wonders why they never achieved more stardom. The direction is sublime and the pacing is excellent. The effects would have been a hindrance if the film tried to be a more serious straightforward drama but because it is so tongue in cheek they work in favor. This is a must watch.
336 Reviews
Fun! (...and nothing more)
historical_account1 June 2003
If you are looking for meaning, creativity, originality, or some sort of cosmic significance, look elsewhere.
This is a fun movie for that brainless Saturday evening in which you just want to relax. A fast paced ride with lots of guns, explosions, bright-red fake blood, and a big monster.
This film is for those who wish only to be entertained. Perfect after a long hard week and you need to relax.
Recommended.
7/10
This is a fun movie for that brainless Saturday evening in which you just want to relax. A fast paced ride with lots of guns, explosions, bright-red fake blood, and a big monster.
This film is for those who wish only to be entertained. Perfect after a long hard week and you need to relax.
Recommended.
7/10
Are we talking some kind of mutated sea monsters here?...
paul_haakonsen2 June 2017
I remember owning "Deep Rising" on VHS back in the day, and I do remember it as being a fairly entertaining movie. So when I got the chance to sit down and watch it again in 2017, I did of course jump at the chance to do so.
Memory did serve me well, because "Deep Rising" really was and still is a rather entertaining movie, and one that actually still is capable of standing up to movies made even today.
The effects in the movie are surprisingly good, especially when taking into consideration that the movie is from 1998. The CGI effects were really impressive back in the day, but still stand up to many movies that are made even today. And on that account, the special effects team really pulled their weight with their work on "Deep Rising".
"Deep Rising" is a story that is quite simple to follow, but at the same time it is also a story that is entertaining and has a good amount of action and even some sense of dread and claustrophobia to it. Wríter and director Stephen Sommers did manage to put together a very entertaining movie and one that has a lot of replay value.
For a movie back from 1998 then the cast list really does have some familiar names and faces to it; Treat Williams, Famke Janssen, Anthony Heald, Kevin J. O'Connor, Jason Flemyng, Cliff Curtis and Djimon Hounsou are some of the prominent and very familiar faces that portray characters in "Deep Rising". It was without a doubt Kevin J. O'Connor in the role of Joey Pantucci who stole the spotlight in this movie.
I found the movie to be entertaining from beginning to end, and there is a great level of action and fast pace to the movie which never loses momentum.
The only real bad thing about the movie was the ending, which was just about as anti-climatic as it could possibly be, not to mention also incredibly ludicrous and stupid.
All in all, "Deep Rising" is a great movie if you enjoy creature features and things with tentacles. My rating of "Deep Rising" is a solid 6 out of 10 stars.
Memory did serve me well, because "Deep Rising" really was and still is a rather entertaining movie, and one that actually still is capable of standing up to movies made even today.
The effects in the movie are surprisingly good, especially when taking into consideration that the movie is from 1998. The CGI effects were really impressive back in the day, but still stand up to many movies that are made even today. And on that account, the special effects team really pulled their weight with their work on "Deep Rising".
"Deep Rising" is a story that is quite simple to follow, but at the same time it is also a story that is entertaining and has a good amount of action and even some sense of dread and claustrophobia to it. Wríter and director Stephen Sommers did manage to put together a very entertaining movie and one that has a lot of replay value.
For a movie back from 1998 then the cast list really does have some familiar names and faces to it; Treat Williams, Famke Janssen, Anthony Heald, Kevin J. O'Connor, Jason Flemyng, Cliff Curtis and Djimon Hounsou are some of the prominent and very familiar faces that portray characters in "Deep Rising". It was without a doubt Kevin J. O'Connor in the role of Joey Pantucci who stole the spotlight in this movie.
I found the movie to be entertaining from beginning to end, and there is a great level of action and fast pace to the movie which never loses momentum.
The only real bad thing about the movie was the ending, which was just about as anti-climatic as it could possibly be, not to mention also incredibly ludicrous and stupid.
All in all, "Deep Rising" is a great movie if you enjoy creature features and things with tentacles. My rating of "Deep Rising" is a solid 6 out of 10 stars.
That Thing From the Deep
Bogmeister15 August 2005
This is one fun, intense monster movie. They blew it with the title (what the hell does Deep Rising actually mean? - Things From the Deep would have at least meant what it was), but the execution was admirable. This came out the same time as "Phantoms," which depicted a lot of people disappearing on land; in this one, a lot of 'em disappear at sea, on The Argonautica, the latest fancy cruise ship. As in Phantoms, the monster is tough to kill and human beings are easy prey. Like Phantoms, this was ignored at the box office, unlike the director's later hits, "The Mummy" movies. But it has the same level of entertainment. The band of mercs, along with a few other reluctant tag-alongs, make for a darkly funny ensemble as they make their way through the new ship of horrors. O'Connor provides a lot of the humor with wry line delivery, but lead actor Williams is also amusing. As the corrupt ship owner, Heald also steals a scene or two, and turns out to be the only one knowledgeable (for some odd reason) on these monsters infesting the ship. The creature or creatures really are horrible to see in their work - there's some gross mass death scene stuff going on, at odds with the humor; it's almost as if the characters need that humor to keep from going crazy, though some of them do anyway. Janssen, as the main femme fatale among the macho men, does some of her best work here. There's a good, chilling atmosphere in the constant rain and the dark, in the middle of the ocean somewhere. There are no real slow spots and many viewers will probably want to check this out again someday soon. You can do much worse than kick back with this pic on a dark night.
Full Scream Ahead..? Better than your average slick..!
smiley-3222 October 2005
I bought this DVD last week. I've watched it for the first time with some friends. I must admit, that must be some movie.. Here, director Stephen Sommers try to prove that if Aliens scared you.. Then this one will do worse.. Well, it did at times.. The whole plot sounds simple to me.. with these bunch of thieves coming on board this cruise liner, the Argonautica.. Only to find that the passengers have vanished. It's not 'til they realise that they up against something more deadly and it came from the bottom of the ocean.. We're not talking giant squids here.. Something more sinister..
Treat Williams played well as Finnegan. Famke Janssen, Wes Studi and the rest of the cast kept their end of the bargain with their performance. A really good film, full of one liners.. A few jokes.. This, that and the other..
7 out of 10!
Treat Williams played well as Finnegan. Famke Janssen, Wes Studi and the rest of the cast kept their end of the bargain with their performance. A really good film, full of one liners.. A few jokes.. This, that and the other..
7 out of 10!
Something of a B-movie gem
Leofwine_draca12 June 2016
Warning: Spoilers
DEEP RISING is a generic, clichéd, roller-coaster ride of a monster, mish-mashing such films as DIE HARD, SPEED 2, and of course (for this genre) the inevitable ALIENS. It's got a wafer-thin plot, and the characters are given little to do except interact with the special effects of the monsters. When the monsters aren't around, the film gets pretty boring. But despite all of this, I still found DEEP RISING to be a greatly entertaining film. While it's a little sad to see the apparent dumbing-down of cinema values, the fact remains that big tentacled monster creatures will generate audiences, so that's why films like this come out every couple of years or so. They don't break any new ground, they're not even original, but they're fun. Popcorn movies, if you like.
I like the straightforwardness of the film in that you know what you're going to get in terms of special effects. That's right, a big CGI tentacled, scaly, slimy monster. There are no shocks there. But what is shocking is that the effects are actually good. That's right, they're good. Most of the effects in recent films look far too fluid and unrealistic because of their computer origins, but DEEP RISING mainly bypasses these flaws (hopefully a sign of things to come) and gives us something special.
While the scenes of tentacles chasing down corridors do look pretty fake, I would say 60% of the special effects on offer are realistic (if you're a generous viewer like me). The highlight of the film is an encounter with the big brain creature, a huge octopus-like thing with white eyes and lots and lots of teeth. Very exciting and nice to look at. However, there are lots of other good effects scenes, from tentacles crushing helpless victims to a surprisingly gory moment when a half-digested man pleads for help.
The rest of the film is taken up with people shooting, things exploding and survivors running around flooded corridors. It doesn't take much to please me, so I was happy. The acting is all pretty much average, from Treat Williams as the unlikely hero to Famke Janssen as the heroine, and it's definitely nothing to write home about. It's not really the acting that's important, though, it's the monster and for a change it's excellent. If you're looking for good, light-hearted scenes of excitement, horror, and action, then you can't go wrong with DEEP RISING.
I like the straightforwardness of the film in that you know what you're going to get in terms of special effects. That's right, a big CGI tentacled, scaly, slimy monster. There are no shocks there. But what is shocking is that the effects are actually good. That's right, they're good. Most of the effects in recent films look far too fluid and unrealistic because of their computer origins, but DEEP RISING mainly bypasses these flaws (hopefully a sign of things to come) and gives us something special.
While the scenes of tentacles chasing down corridors do look pretty fake, I would say 60% of the special effects on offer are realistic (if you're a generous viewer like me). The highlight of the film is an encounter with the big brain creature, a huge octopus-like thing with white eyes and lots and lots of teeth. Very exciting and nice to look at. However, there are lots of other good effects scenes, from tentacles crushing helpless victims to a surprisingly gory moment when a half-digested man pleads for help.
The rest of the film is taken up with people shooting, things exploding and survivors running around flooded corridors. It doesn't take much to please me, so I was happy. The acting is all pretty much average, from Treat Williams as the unlikely hero to Famke Janssen as the heroine, and it's definitely nothing to write home about. It's not really the acting that's important, though, it's the monster and for a change it's excellent. If you're looking for good, light-hearted scenes of excitement, horror, and action, then you can't go wrong with DEEP RISING.
Oh dear...
NoCode6 July 1999
I saw this recently on VHS, and even that was a waste of money. This was undoubtedly one of the worst films I have in a very long time. I was not aware it was supposed to be a B grade film - perhaps if I was aware it was supposed to be crap, I may not have had such an overwhelming physical reaction to it.
The acting was poor, the monster was... well, unconvincing much of the time, the script had few moments that weren't pathetically lame. It was just bad.
There were only two redeeming features that I could see: 1. Famke Janssen looked damn good 2. The monster ate many of the whining characters I quickly tired of, much to my enjoyment.
Aside from that, it was mediocre rubbish I would not watch again, unless it was for the repeated pleasure of watching all the lame actors in it getting mercilessly slaughtered.
The acting was poor, the monster was... well, unconvincing much of the time, the script had few moments that weren't pathetically lame. It was just bad.
There were only two redeeming features that I could see: 1. Famke Janssen looked damn good 2. The monster ate many of the whining characters I quickly tired of, much to my enjoyment.
Aside from that, it was mediocre rubbish I would not watch again, unless it was for the repeated pleasure of watching all the lame actors in it getting mercilessly slaughtered.
It's officially the best film ever made.
Neonsamurai5 November 2002
Deep Rising is one of the best films ever made, if not the best! That's right, I'm making a bold statement but it's true. Clearly many of you here will disagree, but when you've seen the evidence that I put forward I don't think you'll be able to argue:
1) The Godfather: The Godfather was less believable than Deep Rising and also lacked such things as multi barrelled assault rifles, jet skis and huge torpedoes. Deep rising however, did not.
2) Raging Bull: No half-digested/half alive bodies, no engine room full of bloody bones or cool looking harpoon guns. Deep Rising had all these things.
3) Citizen Kane: A worthy try, but in the end Orson Welles decision to omit massive underwater squid monsters, left this film floundering. Deep Rising came up trumps in this department.
4) Casablanca: Fails to deliver on every account. Most notably, no one gets pulled down a toilet. Again, Deep Rising excels.
The sad thing is that if the Colour Purple had included a raid on a sinking cruise liner, infested with sub aqua monsters as part of the film, then it too would have climbed to the top of my favourite movie list. But as with most films the director took the easy way out and chose to ignore this very overlooked area of filmmaking.
In my aquatic monster/cruise liner catastrophe marking system, Deep Rising gets a colossal 4 shrimps. But the rather lacking Godfather, gets only 3 angelfish and a haddock.
1) The Godfather: The Godfather was less believable than Deep Rising and also lacked such things as multi barrelled assault rifles, jet skis and huge torpedoes. Deep rising however, did not.
2) Raging Bull: No half-digested/half alive bodies, no engine room full of bloody bones or cool looking harpoon guns. Deep Rising had all these things.
3) Citizen Kane: A worthy try, but in the end Orson Welles decision to omit massive underwater squid monsters, left this film floundering. Deep Rising came up trumps in this department.
4) Casablanca: Fails to deliver on every account. Most notably, no one gets pulled down a toilet. Again, Deep Rising excels.
The sad thing is that if the Colour Purple had included a raid on a sinking cruise liner, infested with sub aqua monsters as part of the film, then it too would have climbed to the top of my favourite movie list. But as with most films the director took the easy way out and chose to ignore this very overlooked area of filmmaking.
In my aquatic monster/cruise liner catastrophe marking system, Deep Rising gets a colossal 4 shrimps. But the rather lacking Godfather, gets only 3 angelfish and a haddock.
Entertaining monster action fun and never a dull moment!
kclipper3 August 2014
Warning: Spoilers
The Writer/Director of "The Mummy" trilogy, Steven Sommers combines plenty of nonstop action, ridiculous climatic pyrotechnics and witty dialog in this overblown but thoroughly entertaining creature feature starring Treat Williams as a freelance ship captain who transports unsavory types to whatever destination pays the most, and this time gets in too deep as rebel mercenaries involved in a plot with a millionaire cruise ship entrepreneur (Anthony Heald) to collect on an insurance scam by sinking a luxurious ocean liner with state-of-the-art torpedo technology. Little do they know that they are located within the uncharted Himalayan oceans of the Pacific where humongous sea monsters feed on anything that ventures into their territory. Famke Janssen is absolutely gorgeous and charming as a professional thief and stowaway who is along for the ride as the cruise ship is infested by a giant hungry monstrosity with tentacles armed with sharp teeth and an appetite for human blood.
This is Sommer's take on the classic Lovecraftian "monsters of the deep" mythology all accomplished for the sake of thrills and laughs. The cast is energetic, amusing and flawed all at once, and the pitfalls and perils never seem to let up giving this silly, nonsensical action film a sense of its own. Veteran creature designer Rob Bottin (The Thing) is responsible for the creature FX which are fair to bad computer graphics imagery, but the overall hilarity and personality within the script and performances justify any shortcomings. Its a nonstop riot of action and thrills for anyone who doesn't take this stuff seriously. You gotta just accept it for what it is.
This is Sommer's take on the classic Lovecraftian "monsters of the deep" mythology all accomplished for the sake of thrills and laughs. The cast is energetic, amusing and flawed all at once, and the pitfalls and perils never seem to let up giving this silly, nonsensical action film a sense of its own. Veteran creature designer Rob Bottin (The Thing) is responsible for the creature FX which are fair to bad computer graphics imagery, but the overall hilarity and personality within the script and performances justify any shortcomings. Its a nonstop riot of action and thrills for anyone who doesn't take this stuff seriously. You gotta just accept it for what it is.
monster action movie
SnoopyStyle8 February 2016
Mercenaries led by Hanover (Wes Studi) hire John Finnegan (Treat Williams)'s boat whose motto is "When the cash is there, we do not care." Finnegan finds out that they're carrying torpedoes and they are tracking a luxury liner. The cruise ship Argonautica is on her maiden voyage which is owned by Simon Canton (Anthony Heald). Trillian (Famke Janssen) is a thief looking to make a score. The ship is attacked by some unknown force from below. By the time Hanover and his men board the ship, it seems to be empty with blood everywhere.
It's a monster movie. The problem is that I don't care about most of these characters so I couldn't care less when one of them bites it. It's got some monster fun and shoot them up fun. It's a slick bigger budget action monster B-movie. However, it all feels a little pointless.
It's a monster movie. The problem is that I don't care about most of these characters so I couldn't care less when one of them bites it. It's got some monster fun and shoot them up fun. It's a slick bigger budget action monster B-movie. However, it all feels a little pointless.
Very entertaining and way too underrated B-movie from the 90s
mov13junk138 November 2019
This is one of those B-movie gems i have fond memories of, even 20years later after its release. It entertains me everytime i by accident notice it running on TV. I like the VFX even so its totaly obvious (but also 20y old), but the point is, in this movie it is so well used to entertain you most of the time while in todays movies VFX is mostly used to avoid spending money for real props. I love this movie, it features a great cast (Famke Janssen, Treat Williams and others), way underrated back than, great acting, perfect pacing and just overall a nice mood appropirate for that movie-genre. If you like action-paced comedic horror, this is definetly a must see !
Tremors on Steroids in the Ocean!
PredragReviews12 May 2016
"Deep Rising" is not meant to be taken the least bit seriously unlike other creature features like the Alien films and Pitch Black (which I very much highly recommend you watch). Instead, Stephen Sommers keeps his tongue firmly tucked in his cheek, leading to a campy cruise most reminiscent of Tremors. If there's at least one thing to credit Deep Rising for, it has the look of a summer blockbuster. The 50 million dollar budget is large (especially for a campy action/horror film) and all the special effects are put to good use. The creature effects are well done and makes for a fun encounter between the survivors and the creature's main body. Rob Bottin, noted for the gory effects in The Thing, succeeds again though the creation in this film may not be as well remembered as some of his other works.
The film overall, is very entertaining and the two problems I had with it was that I wish we could've seen the massacre but that leads to my other problem, it was a pretty long movie, but it was awesome non the less. The Director (Stephan Sommers) really shows how he wants the humor to balance with the horrors that definitely shows just as much in "The Mummy 1 & 2" and "Van Helsing"!
Overall rating: 7 out of 10.
The film overall, is very entertaining and the two problems I had with it was that I wish we could've seen the massacre but that leads to my other problem, it was a pretty long movie, but it was awesome non the less. The Director (Stephan Sommers) really shows how he wants the humor to balance with the horrors that definitely shows just as much in "The Mummy 1 & 2" and "Van Helsing"!
Overall rating: 7 out of 10.
Oh boy, this is a cornfest!
rorymacveigh-6666131 March 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I remember seeing the promos for this movie saying this was the scariest thing since Tremors, so naturally I had to give it a watch...
...and boy was it a letdown!
So what's the banana? Out on its maiden voyage, the Cruise Ship Argonautica and its passengers celebrate with an evening party, only for the vessel to be abruptly plunged into darkness. Meanwhile, a Captain named Finnegan, who's piloting a boat with a compliment of Mercenaries, is taken captive by them, revealing themselves to be in actuality Pirates who intend to rob the Argonautica of all its riches and sink it. Upon reaching the blacked out liner, they discover all but a handful of people have been killed by an unforeseen tentacled creature, that's infested the ship's ventilation system and can strike without warning. What follows is a desperate fight to survive about the stricken vessel, whilst also partaking in a clumsy collection of stupid plots and conflicting story lines that make you more and more confused.
Okay, what's so bad about this film? The acting for starters, which is very cheesy and over the top. I would like to think that this is similar to Tremors in that it's a satire of what people would act like in such a horrific situation, but this is meant to be taken seriously, and with these performances... no.
Next, the CGI, which is so laughably poor and fake looking you'd think it was just hashed together in 20 minutes on Flash Studio. It's pixelated, the creatures never look convincing, and it really is very dated.
Next up, the story, which, as mentioned, is very confusing. If it was simply just a basic plot about a rescue ship sent out to find a stricken cruise liner, only to come across a vessel filled with horrible monsters, that would make for a gripping adventure/horror story. Instead, we have pirates, crossed with an insurance scandal, crossed with another thief who's already on the ship, crossed with implausible attempts to resolve the problem, and with the movie ending on probably the lowest point you could. I won't give it away but it really is undeniably stupid.
So, to sum up, this movie is very, very bad, in more ways than one. The CGI is bad, the story is bad, the acting is bad, aside from a few jump-scares it's not that frightening, and when you do finally get to see the monster, you never thought you'd be laughing at the end of this movie! I certainly was, it was really bad!
...and boy was it a letdown!
So what's the banana? Out on its maiden voyage, the Cruise Ship Argonautica and its passengers celebrate with an evening party, only for the vessel to be abruptly plunged into darkness. Meanwhile, a Captain named Finnegan, who's piloting a boat with a compliment of Mercenaries, is taken captive by them, revealing themselves to be in actuality Pirates who intend to rob the Argonautica of all its riches and sink it. Upon reaching the blacked out liner, they discover all but a handful of people have been killed by an unforeseen tentacled creature, that's infested the ship's ventilation system and can strike without warning. What follows is a desperate fight to survive about the stricken vessel, whilst also partaking in a clumsy collection of stupid plots and conflicting story lines that make you more and more confused.
Okay, what's so bad about this film? The acting for starters, which is very cheesy and over the top. I would like to think that this is similar to Tremors in that it's a satire of what people would act like in such a horrific situation, but this is meant to be taken seriously, and with these performances... no.
Next, the CGI, which is so laughably poor and fake looking you'd think it was just hashed together in 20 minutes on Flash Studio. It's pixelated, the creatures never look convincing, and it really is very dated.
Next up, the story, which, as mentioned, is very confusing. If it was simply just a basic plot about a rescue ship sent out to find a stricken cruise liner, only to come across a vessel filled with horrible monsters, that would make for a gripping adventure/horror story. Instead, we have pirates, crossed with an insurance scandal, crossed with another thief who's already on the ship, crossed with implausible attempts to resolve the problem, and with the movie ending on probably the lowest point you could. I won't give it away but it really is undeniably stupid.
So, to sum up, this movie is very, very bad, in more ways than one. The CGI is bad, the story is bad, the acting is bad, aside from a few jump-scares it's not that frightening, and when you do finally get to see the monster, you never thought you'd be laughing at the end of this movie! I certainly was, it was really bad!
I care about your gun.
George_Bailey6 March 2000
Unlike a lot of monster and sci-fi movies we see these days, where apologizes are constantly made and everything is politically-correct, Deep Rising is an unapolagetic rollar-coaster which only asks us to suspend our higher thinking for an hour and a half. Intelligent by no means, Stephen Sommers' movie however definately succeeds in it's intention, which is to be a straight fun adventure.
Like the rest of the movie, we've seen the plot a dozen times before in different or similar forms. A square-jawed man of the sea and his wise-cracking sidekick give a group of mercenaries a ride in their PT boat to an undisclosed location somewhere out over the murky ocean. Little does the boatman know that the soldiers-for-hire are planning to knock off a massive luxury cruise liner with an assortment of assault rifles and deadly torpedo warheads. When they reach the ship though, they find it derelict, and encounter a nightmarish tentacle beast.
This movie is stupid as hell, but it knows it, and just wants to take us along on its stupid ride. As mentioned before, the movie makes no apologizes. We don't get any little kids who know more than the adults running around and saving the day; instead we get piles of horrid, blood-covered skeletons and disgustingly neat scenes of half-dead victims being regurgitated by our monster villain. Speaking of the monster, its a fairly decent CGI creation, which is surprising considering how little effort can be put into putting CG creatures onto the screen in movies with anything less of a budget than Jurassic Park or The Phantom Menace.
The flick is plenty fun, but where it truly lacks is the character development area. In Deep Rising, and most movies like it, a fair amount of the characters are regulated to quick two or three word descriptions which dictate everything that they do. There's "The Womanizer", "The Coward", "The Guy Who's Scared", etc. And man, if a guys got an Austrailian or English accent..forget about it, that's his whole character right there. The two most interesting characters are Treat Williams, a third rate Bruce Willis-Mel Gibson, who nevertheless puts a likeable effort into the main hero, and the mind-numbingly beautiful Famke Jannkson as a thief the crew finds alive aboard the cruise liner.
Deep Rising is a movie that knows what it wants to do, and does it well, adding some originality and excitement to a genre overflowing with badly-executed ideas and ameatuerish directing.
I give Deep Rising a 6 out of 10, and I'd reccomend it to any fan of grade-B horror movies or anyone who enjoyed the 1999 remake of The Mummy.
Like the rest of the movie, we've seen the plot a dozen times before in different or similar forms. A square-jawed man of the sea and his wise-cracking sidekick give a group of mercenaries a ride in their PT boat to an undisclosed location somewhere out over the murky ocean. Little does the boatman know that the soldiers-for-hire are planning to knock off a massive luxury cruise liner with an assortment of assault rifles and deadly torpedo warheads. When they reach the ship though, they find it derelict, and encounter a nightmarish tentacle beast.
This movie is stupid as hell, but it knows it, and just wants to take us along on its stupid ride. As mentioned before, the movie makes no apologizes. We don't get any little kids who know more than the adults running around and saving the day; instead we get piles of horrid, blood-covered skeletons and disgustingly neat scenes of half-dead victims being regurgitated by our monster villain. Speaking of the monster, its a fairly decent CGI creation, which is surprising considering how little effort can be put into putting CG creatures onto the screen in movies with anything less of a budget than Jurassic Park or The Phantom Menace.
The flick is plenty fun, but where it truly lacks is the character development area. In Deep Rising, and most movies like it, a fair amount of the characters are regulated to quick two or three word descriptions which dictate everything that they do. There's "The Womanizer", "The Coward", "The Guy Who's Scared", etc. And man, if a guys got an Austrailian or English accent..forget about it, that's his whole character right there. The two most interesting characters are Treat Williams, a third rate Bruce Willis-Mel Gibson, who nevertheless puts a likeable effort into the main hero, and the mind-numbingly beautiful Famke Jannkson as a thief the crew finds alive aboard the cruise liner.
Deep Rising is a movie that knows what it wants to do, and does it well, adding some originality and excitement to a genre overflowing with badly-executed ideas and ameatuerish directing.
I give Deep Rising a 6 out of 10, and I'd reccomend it to any fan of grade-B horror movies or anyone who enjoyed the 1999 remake of The Mummy.
Flawed but Fun Aquatic Creature Feature
Reviews_of_the_Dead15 February 2019
This was a film that I used to watch a lot when I was growing up. I remember it hitting one of the movie channels and watching it for the first time. It was then on regularly so I used to catch it quite a bit. I got the opportunity to see it again when a podcast had this as its monthly movie challenge. The synopsis for this film is a group of heavily armed hijackers board a luxury ocean liner in the South Pacific Ocean to loot it, only to do battle with a series of large-sized, tentacle, man-eating sea creatures who had already invaded the ship.
I want to lead off stating that the synopsis is a bit misleading. There aren't a group of them, the creature is a large octopus, but each of its tentacles has a mouth on the end of it. To get into this film, we start off with a quote about the Marina Trench and how deep it is. It states there are many disappearances over the last 100 years in the area that are unexplained.
We then see the ocean liner on its maiden voyage and everything is going good. We do see someone who works on the ship go into the computer mainframe and put in a disc that shuts all communication down. The man who paid for the ship is Simon Canton (Anthony Heald). Along with Captain Atherton (Derrick O'Connor), they catch Trillian St. James (Famke Janssen) a wanted thief on board. She is locked in a food locker until they reach port.
With a parallel story, there is John Finnegan (Treat Williams). He has a boat with his crew, Joey Pantucci (Kevin J. O'Connor) and Leila (Una Damon). They are taking a group of mercenaries to a destination. Finnegan is known for his discretion and didn't ask questions. The mercs are led by Hanover (Wes Studi). Pantucci noses into their cargo to find a bunch of torpedoes. They also mount on a launcher on the front of the boat.
Things take a turn when something stops the ocean liner. We then see whatever it is attacks. The creature is quite large and powerful. It seems the target for the other boat is the ship. Whoever cut off the communication is working with Hanover, but they weren't expecting what attacks the ship.
I would probably state here that one of my biggest fears is open water. I've never been on a cruise, but I have been smaller boats when I can't see land around me, it gets my anxiety going. Part of my fear comes from what could be at the bottom of the ocean, which this film also plays with as well. I do honestly believe there could be an octopus or squid that is this large. Is it possible that it could attack a ship like this? Probably not. I also don't know what the truth is about how many ships go missing in this area as well.
What I will say about this film is that it is quite cheesy. I do like it to an extent. Finnegan is quite funny with his one-liners. The real comedic relief though is Pantucci. He just has great timing and everything I've seen him in he also brings a level of humor.
The concept of the film is good as well. I won't give anyway the reveal of who is on the ship that is helping the mercs, but I thought it was believable. A little short-sided, but I've seen crime shows with similar ideas. The creature I really love though. I think it is quite terrifying for the reasons I listed above.
It does run a little bit long though. It never gets boring and I think the pacing is fine. A film that is as cheesy as this though should really be at about 90 minutes. This runs about ten minutes longer than that. There are parts that could be cut out of them walking around trying to figure out what happened, as it doesn't really add anything to the overall story. I do like how the film plays out, but a little bit darker of an ending would have been preferred. For a 90's film though, it is really fitting.
This brings me to the acting for the film. Williams is interesting as I like him as the hero. He is some what of a bad guy, because he will do whatever for money. Despite this though, he does have a character arch of doing what is right. He does fall into the 90's trope of needing to have one-liners that aren't the greatest. Janssen I thought was solid as well. She is quite resourceful. I don't know if I buy that she would fall for Williams as quick as she does, but then again, it could be a ploy she is using as well. I also find her quite attractive. Heald is solid and I like the twist of his character. I'm a big fan of Studi as a villain in this film as well. He fits it so well. It was crazy to see the list of actors who are his henchmen. There is Jason Flemyng, Cliff Curtis, Clifton Powell and Djimon Hounsou. They are all fine in the film, but just a bit over the top. I would also say the rest of the cast round out the film for what was needed.
Something that was hit or miss though was the effects. To start with the positives, some of the creature CGI I thought looked good. It is very difficult bring something of this size to life and I think it helps the confided place they are in. There's not a lot in the way of practical effects, but I think the aftermath of the bones looked pretty good. To go a bit negative, some of the CGI for the creature looked fake and you could tell. There was also a spot where our characters are chased by water that was CGI as well. I get that you are trying to protect them, but it took me out of the film.
Now with that said, I do have some nostalgia for this film which is going to alter my rating. The story and the concept of the film I like. I could see hijackers doing what they did. I also believe there could be creatures like this deep in the ocean. The problem becomes them coming up as far as they do in this film. Acting in the film I thought was fine for what was needed. The effects of the film were hit or miss, but I do think it was shot well. It is also paced nicely, but it is a tad too long. The score of the film really didn't stand out or hurt the film in my opinion; it did fit for what they needed. I find this film overall to be above average, but if you like aquatic horror, I'd give this one a viewing.
I want to lead off stating that the synopsis is a bit misleading. There aren't a group of them, the creature is a large octopus, but each of its tentacles has a mouth on the end of it. To get into this film, we start off with a quote about the Marina Trench and how deep it is. It states there are many disappearances over the last 100 years in the area that are unexplained.
We then see the ocean liner on its maiden voyage and everything is going good. We do see someone who works on the ship go into the computer mainframe and put in a disc that shuts all communication down. The man who paid for the ship is Simon Canton (Anthony Heald). Along with Captain Atherton (Derrick O'Connor), they catch Trillian St. James (Famke Janssen) a wanted thief on board. She is locked in a food locker until they reach port.
With a parallel story, there is John Finnegan (Treat Williams). He has a boat with his crew, Joey Pantucci (Kevin J. O'Connor) and Leila (Una Damon). They are taking a group of mercenaries to a destination. Finnegan is known for his discretion and didn't ask questions. The mercs are led by Hanover (Wes Studi). Pantucci noses into their cargo to find a bunch of torpedoes. They also mount on a launcher on the front of the boat.
Things take a turn when something stops the ocean liner. We then see whatever it is attacks. The creature is quite large and powerful. It seems the target for the other boat is the ship. Whoever cut off the communication is working with Hanover, but they weren't expecting what attacks the ship.
I would probably state here that one of my biggest fears is open water. I've never been on a cruise, but I have been smaller boats when I can't see land around me, it gets my anxiety going. Part of my fear comes from what could be at the bottom of the ocean, which this film also plays with as well. I do honestly believe there could be an octopus or squid that is this large. Is it possible that it could attack a ship like this? Probably not. I also don't know what the truth is about how many ships go missing in this area as well.
What I will say about this film is that it is quite cheesy. I do like it to an extent. Finnegan is quite funny with his one-liners. The real comedic relief though is Pantucci. He just has great timing and everything I've seen him in he also brings a level of humor.
The concept of the film is good as well. I won't give anyway the reveal of who is on the ship that is helping the mercs, but I thought it was believable. A little short-sided, but I've seen crime shows with similar ideas. The creature I really love though. I think it is quite terrifying for the reasons I listed above.
It does run a little bit long though. It never gets boring and I think the pacing is fine. A film that is as cheesy as this though should really be at about 90 minutes. This runs about ten minutes longer than that. There are parts that could be cut out of them walking around trying to figure out what happened, as it doesn't really add anything to the overall story. I do like how the film plays out, but a little bit darker of an ending would have been preferred. For a 90's film though, it is really fitting.
This brings me to the acting for the film. Williams is interesting as I like him as the hero. He is some what of a bad guy, because he will do whatever for money. Despite this though, he does have a character arch of doing what is right. He does fall into the 90's trope of needing to have one-liners that aren't the greatest. Janssen I thought was solid as well. She is quite resourceful. I don't know if I buy that she would fall for Williams as quick as she does, but then again, it could be a ploy she is using as well. I also find her quite attractive. Heald is solid and I like the twist of his character. I'm a big fan of Studi as a villain in this film as well. He fits it so well. It was crazy to see the list of actors who are his henchmen. There is Jason Flemyng, Cliff Curtis, Clifton Powell and Djimon Hounsou. They are all fine in the film, but just a bit over the top. I would also say the rest of the cast round out the film for what was needed.
Something that was hit or miss though was the effects. To start with the positives, some of the creature CGI I thought looked good. It is very difficult bring something of this size to life and I think it helps the confided place they are in. There's not a lot in the way of practical effects, but I think the aftermath of the bones looked pretty good. To go a bit negative, some of the CGI for the creature looked fake and you could tell. There was also a spot where our characters are chased by water that was CGI as well. I get that you are trying to protect them, but it took me out of the film.
Now with that said, I do have some nostalgia for this film which is going to alter my rating. The story and the concept of the film I like. I could see hijackers doing what they did. I also believe there could be creatures like this deep in the ocean. The problem becomes them coming up as far as they do in this film. Acting in the film I thought was fine for what was needed. The effects of the film were hit or miss, but I do think it was shot well. It is also paced nicely, but it is a tad too long. The score of the film really didn't stand out or hurt the film in my opinion; it did fit for what they needed. I find this film overall to be above average, but if you like aquatic horror, I'd give this one a viewing.
Guilty pleasure
dyvanna25 July 2020
This is one of my guilty pleasures. If I'm ever in a bad mood this always picks me up. There are a couple of places the acting feels wooden, otherwise I'd give it a higher score.
Tongue in cheek horror, I wish there was a sequel.
Tongue in cheek horror, I wish there was a sequel.
Ummm...what?? :=8/
MooCowMo3 September 1999
Deep Rising is an over-long, boring, stupid bucket of chum, sort of a cross between Anaconda and Jaws, and it's just plain stupid. Basically, Treat Williams leads a campy gang of no-goodniks through international waters to rob an ocean-liner (!!), and meets the multi-tentacled thing of doom, which is unstoppable and everywhere at once. The CGI effects are cheesy - just what the hell is that squid-thing supposed to be, anycow?? The action scenes are dull and cowtrived, many things go boom for no real reason, and Treat Williams gives his best 3rd rate Bruce WIllis imitation, to no avail. Famke Jassen is lovely to look at, but wasted, and the ending is massively groan-inducing. Proceed at yer own risk. MooCow says Deep Rising is a deep cowflop. :=8P
Stephen Sommers' best film.
LennyRenquist10 April 2005
It's just a tad better than the first Mummy, and it wees on Van Helsing like an incontinent dog.
When I first saw this movie, I had no idea what to expect. I was at the cinema one night, I'd just come out of a movie--can't remember which--and I saw the poster. The tagline, "Full Scream Ahead", seemed corny enough that it might be good. Then I noticed Famke Janssen was in it. Bonus. And it seemed like a good late-night B movie, to follow the one I'd just seen. I was there with a mate of mine, who was kind of indifferent. I twisted his arm, and he agreed.
Two hours later, I walked out, grinning like an idiot. It's silly, cliché-heavy, and utterly predictable. This movie rocks.
See, Sommers, and all the actors, KNOW that it's silly, cliché-heavy and predictable. In fact, THAT'S THE IDEA. It's also full of spot-on one-liners and gags, and the horror bits seem more intended to "gross-out" than to actually scare (the bit where a half-digested member of Hanover's team bursts out of one of the monsters--still alive, despite half his head being missing--is not for the weak of stomach). Most thrillers and horror movies set out to keep you "on the edge of your seat", but with this one I was too busy falling out of it with laughter.
Treat is...well...a TREAT as Finnegan, the rugged, all-American adventurer type. For a while I was disappointed that Bruce Campbell wasn't cast in the role, as it would have suited him perfectly. But I've since decided that Treat does a bang-up job, and deserves full praise. If he did more movies like this, I might become a fan.
Kevin J. O'Connor is hilarious as the sidekick grease-monkey (and performs all the better for not having to put on a stupid accent). He gets most of the best lines. Famke is great as always. Sexy, funny, and capable in the action scenes. Anthony Heald, as the villain, is hammy and over the top (in a good way) and Wes is...well, Wes. All the goons are fine, particularly Jason Flemyng and the late Trevor Goddard. It's nice to see a good mix of nationalities in there, and the playful in-fighting amongst them is a nice touch. Their assault rifles are cool, too. Funny though, I never noticed anyone reloading...
The special effects are just bad enough to work in this context, without appearing TOO lame. A few years before this movie was made, they'd have actually been considered brilliant. But Sommers realises that sometimes it's best not to actually SHOW the monsters. They swim along under the knee-deep water, the walls of the corridors buckle and threaten to collapse, gratings fly out of the floor directly behind the running characters...very effective.
The climax is about as far-fetched as it's possible to get. But it's done so well that, like all this movie's flaws, it doesn't matter.
If you're easily scared, this'll do the job. If you like tongue-in-cheek, B-grade action flicks, this is one to see. If you like movies that force you to think, make you change your outlook on life, and move you to tears...yeah, you should REALLY watch this. TO SEE WHAT YOU'RE MISSING OUT ON!
When I first saw this movie, I had no idea what to expect. I was at the cinema one night, I'd just come out of a movie--can't remember which--and I saw the poster. The tagline, "Full Scream Ahead", seemed corny enough that it might be good. Then I noticed Famke Janssen was in it. Bonus. And it seemed like a good late-night B movie, to follow the one I'd just seen. I was there with a mate of mine, who was kind of indifferent. I twisted his arm, and he agreed.
Two hours later, I walked out, grinning like an idiot. It's silly, cliché-heavy, and utterly predictable. This movie rocks.
See, Sommers, and all the actors, KNOW that it's silly, cliché-heavy and predictable. In fact, THAT'S THE IDEA. It's also full of spot-on one-liners and gags, and the horror bits seem more intended to "gross-out" than to actually scare (the bit where a half-digested member of Hanover's team bursts out of one of the monsters--still alive, despite half his head being missing--is not for the weak of stomach). Most thrillers and horror movies set out to keep you "on the edge of your seat", but with this one I was too busy falling out of it with laughter.
Treat is...well...a TREAT as Finnegan, the rugged, all-American adventurer type. For a while I was disappointed that Bruce Campbell wasn't cast in the role, as it would have suited him perfectly. But I've since decided that Treat does a bang-up job, and deserves full praise. If he did more movies like this, I might become a fan.
Kevin J. O'Connor is hilarious as the sidekick grease-monkey (and performs all the better for not having to put on a stupid accent). He gets most of the best lines. Famke is great as always. Sexy, funny, and capable in the action scenes. Anthony Heald, as the villain, is hammy and over the top (in a good way) and Wes is...well, Wes. All the goons are fine, particularly Jason Flemyng and the late Trevor Goddard. It's nice to see a good mix of nationalities in there, and the playful in-fighting amongst them is a nice touch. Their assault rifles are cool, too. Funny though, I never noticed anyone reloading...
The special effects are just bad enough to work in this context, without appearing TOO lame. A few years before this movie was made, they'd have actually been considered brilliant. But Sommers realises that sometimes it's best not to actually SHOW the monsters. They swim along under the knee-deep water, the walls of the corridors buckle and threaten to collapse, gratings fly out of the floor directly behind the running characters...very effective.
The climax is about as far-fetched as it's possible to get. But it's done so well that, like all this movie's flaws, it doesn't matter.
If you're easily scared, this'll do the job. If you like tongue-in-cheek, B-grade action flicks, this is one to see. If you like movies that force you to think, make you change your outlook on life, and move you to tears...yeah, you should REALLY watch this. TO SEE WHAT YOU'RE MISSING OUT ON!
Think Aliens, Predator Or Even Tremors On A Ship.
torrascotia24 May 2019
The 90s had a weird glut of sci-fi horror movies which were based on ships for some reason. I am not sure if this was some kind of weird Titanic tie in where the studio thought anything with a big boat was a sure fire hit?
This is one of the better attempts. Its a non-stop action movie which has some real gore, frights, surprises and humour thrown in. Its simply impossible not to be entertained by this.
The story is a basic monster hunting down the crew scenario but its done well enough that you have no idea who is next on the menu and it also holds back on the reveal of whats attacking the crew, till well around the halfway of the movie.
There are a couple of well know B movie actors in this and its very much B movie fodder, some of the FX in terms of CGI look dated now but some of the models look fantastic.
The movie borrows heavily from a number of major action franchises but it doesn't detract from the fun.
There are plenty of entertaining death scenes and some which were quite unique and effective.
Not sure how I missed this in the past but its highly recommended for a fun action flick.
Just be kind on on CGI it was 1998.
Complete trash
Brodie_50029 August 2001
Warning: Spoilers
*SPOILER WARNING*
No one could argue that this film is not terrible.
It's a B-movie, plain and simple. What makes it's crapness more acceptable (to me, at least) is that it doesn't try to be anything more than a B-movie. It has no time for the poor 'irony' of The Faculty. The problem with The Faculty is that it thought it was being clever and funny, when in fact it was being self-absorbed and self-celebrating. 'Deep Rising', for all it's many, many flaws keeps things simple. You can sit through this and not be irritated or enraged by any false attempts to impress. I enjoyed watching this movie very very much, for the following reasons:
1 - there was a fun (if easy) game to be had in guessing which member of the cast would be picked off next. The band of idiots that run around the ship, fall over, get up again, then either get eaten or narrowly escape, consist of: Treat Williams' unflinching hero, Famke Jansenn's sexy theif, the money-grabbing captain of the ship, his more moralistic second-in-command, the obligatory 'funny-guy' (that isn't funny) and a group of lacklustre pirates with big guns that yell things like 'Eat this, you w***ers!!!'.
2 - it was very funny. The whole thing is a 'Poseidon Adventure' ripoff with seamonsters, but I was astounded when they actually lifted a whole scene more or less from that film (the scene in question being when the gang are forced to swim from one part of the ship to another). What makes this scene even funnier is that at the same time, it rips off Alien: Resurrection (with the monsters pursuing the guys, and leave them one member short).
3 - Famke Jansenn. You could tell she didn't want to be in this crap, bless her. Anyway, she is the best thing about the film, and I'm convinced she'll make an excellent femme fatale in a film noir one day.
For all the stupid entertainment I got, there were some huge and unforgivable drawbacks:
1 - it got way too over the top. It was ridiculous from the start (e.g. a woman is pulled down a toilet!), but when Treat Williams wrestled with a fucking huge squid monster... and won (!) I quickly resented the film. Maybe I'd have forgiven it, but the overlong and completely not thrilling finale went on for at least another 20 minutes after that.
2 - way too gory. There was no need for it. It did nothing for the film. A guy falls out of a squids belly, and we see him screaming in agony as his body was half way through being 'drank'. It disappointed me that the film-makers did stuff like that when this film shouldn't be taken seriously at all.
3 - the ending. I felt cheated. During the stupid finale, all I was waiting for was a cliched ending with Jansenn and Williams washed up on the beach (it's the type of film where you welcome a cliche and expect them for comic relief). Instead, that idiot Joey (who should really have been killed) shows up, then there's an oh-so-clever 'Faculty' moment when they realise they're not the only inhabitants of the island. Ironic endings can work very well (look at Final Destination), but this fell flat on it's face.
In summary, 'Deep Rising' is a ridiculous, unpretentious B-movie that gets too wrapped up in it's own stupidity that it doesn't know when to stop. When it does get round to it, you realise how terrible the film was.
4 / 10
No one could argue that this film is not terrible.
It's a B-movie, plain and simple. What makes it's crapness more acceptable (to me, at least) is that it doesn't try to be anything more than a B-movie. It has no time for the poor 'irony' of The Faculty. The problem with The Faculty is that it thought it was being clever and funny, when in fact it was being self-absorbed and self-celebrating. 'Deep Rising', for all it's many, many flaws keeps things simple. You can sit through this and not be irritated or enraged by any false attempts to impress. I enjoyed watching this movie very very much, for the following reasons:
1 - there was a fun (if easy) game to be had in guessing which member of the cast would be picked off next. The band of idiots that run around the ship, fall over, get up again, then either get eaten or narrowly escape, consist of: Treat Williams' unflinching hero, Famke Jansenn's sexy theif, the money-grabbing captain of the ship, his more moralistic second-in-command, the obligatory 'funny-guy' (that isn't funny) and a group of lacklustre pirates with big guns that yell things like 'Eat this, you w***ers!!!'.
2 - it was very funny. The whole thing is a 'Poseidon Adventure' ripoff with seamonsters, but I was astounded when they actually lifted a whole scene more or less from that film (the scene in question being when the gang are forced to swim from one part of the ship to another). What makes this scene even funnier is that at the same time, it rips off Alien: Resurrection (with the monsters pursuing the guys, and leave them one member short).
3 - Famke Jansenn. You could tell she didn't want to be in this crap, bless her. Anyway, she is the best thing about the film, and I'm convinced she'll make an excellent femme fatale in a film noir one day.
For all the stupid entertainment I got, there were some huge and unforgivable drawbacks:
1 - it got way too over the top. It was ridiculous from the start (e.g. a woman is pulled down a toilet!), but when Treat Williams wrestled with a fucking huge squid monster... and won (!) I quickly resented the film. Maybe I'd have forgiven it, but the overlong and completely not thrilling finale went on for at least another 20 minutes after that.
2 - way too gory. There was no need for it. It did nothing for the film. A guy falls out of a squids belly, and we see him screaming in agony as his body was half way through being 'drank'. It disappointed me that the film-makers did stuff like that when this film shouldn't be taken seriously at all.
3 - the ending. I felt cheated. During the stupid finale, all I was waiting for was a cliched ending with Jansenn and Williams washed up on the beach (it's the type of film where you welcome a cliche and expect them for comic relief). Instead, that idiot Joey (who should really have been killed) shows up, then there's an oh-so-clever 'Faculty' moment when they realise they're not the only inhabitants of the island. Ironic endings can work very well (look at Final Destination), but this fell flat on it's face.
In summary, 'Deep Rising' is a ridiculous, unpretentious B-movie that gets too wrapped up in it's own stupidity that it doesn't know when to stop. When it does get round to it, you realise how terrible the film was.
4 / 10
Deep Rising(1998)
robfollower18 October 2020
In the South China Sea, the Argonautica, a luxury cruise ship, is enjoying its maiden voyage, with owner Simon (Anthony Heald) welcoming the rich and powerful to a major party in the middle of the ocean. Racing to the ship is John (Treat Williams), a captain-for-hire who's unsure about the pack of mercenaries he's working with, led by Hanover (Wes Studi), who are planning something nefarious for the Argonautica, unsettling crew member Joey (Kevin J. O'Connor). Approaching the ship, it becomes clear the mercenaries are intending to rob the passengers and blow up the Argonautica, putting John in a difficult position of compliance without proper weaponry. However, the mission is disrupted by the arrival of a tentacled creature from the depths of ocean, and one that feeds on humans, using its pliable body and sea-based instinct to find victims, devouring everything it can find. Joined by pickpocket Trillian (Famke Janssen), John and Joey search for a way off the ship, trying to return to their damaged boat and get away from an unstoppable creature.
1998's "Deep Rising" didn't have an easy time finding an audience during its initial theatrical release. It came out a year after "The Relic" (which delivered a similar monster-in-a-contained-area premise), a month after "Titanic" (which satiated audiences hungry to see a massive ship endure a slow destruction), and two weeks after "Hard Rain" (which also enjoyed some Jet Ski action in tight hallways). The planets didn't align for writer/director Stephen Sommers, but this noisy ode to B-movies of the past eventually found something of a following on home video and basic cable, and it's not hard to see why, with the helmer arranging plenty of mayhem, quips, and gore to delight those in the mood for something violent but cheeky. Though the true comedic value of "Deep Rising" is up for debate.
1998's "Deep Rising" didn't have an easy time finding an audience during its initial theatrical release. It came out a year after "The Relic" (which delivered a similar monster-in-a-contained-area premise), a month after "Titanic" (which satiated audiences hungry to see a massive ship endure a slow destruction), and two weeks after "Hard Rain" (which also enjoyed some Jet Ski action in tight hallways). The planets didn't align for writer/director Stephen Sommers, but this noisy ode to B-movies of the past eventually found something of a following on home video and basic cable, and it's not hard to see why, with the helmer arranging plenty of mayhem, quips, and gore to delight those in the mood for something violent but cheeky. Though the true comedic value of "Deep Rising" is up for debate.
Still a great watch
evans-j348 October 2021
Gotta admit not watched in years, but its even better years later. Plenty of action and gore. Hate they didn't make a sequel.. think after jaws this has got be the nxt best sea scare film or in at least top 5, acting great some funny moments, stands tge test 9f time.
Deeply Risible
extravaluejotter28 December 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Never has a movie tag-line been more appropriate. "This ain't no pleasure cruise" sums "Deep Rising" up pretty well.
Despite a dependable cast of character actors, "Deep Rising" never manages to drag itself out of the water. It's either a wet version of "Aliens" or a horror version of "The Poseidon Adventure". Borrowing heavily from not just one but two well-known films is a terrible idea.
Writer/director Stephen Sommers deserves to be set adrift in a leaky life-raft for throwing up this daft action adventure. The Hollywood Suits also deserve lead buoyancy aids for giving him the money to make this lame nonsense. When Harrison Ford sensibly turned down the lead role, the studio should have torpedoed this listing junk and sent it to the bottom of the deep blue sea.
Avoid this sucking patch of quicksand and watch "The Abyss" again instead. You won't be half as bored and disappointed.
Despite a dependable cast of character actors, "Deep Rising" never manages to drag itself out of the water. It's either a wet version of "Aliens" or a horror version of "The Poseidon Adventure". Borrowing heavily from not just one but two well-known films is a terrible idea.
Writer/director Stephen Sommers deserves to be set adrift in a leaky life-raft for throwing up this daft action adventure. The Hollywood Suits also deserve lead buoyancy aids for giving him the money to make this lame nonsense. When Harrison Ford sensibly turned down the lead role, the studio should have torpedoed this listing junk and sent it to the bottom of the deep blue sea.
Avoid this sucking patch of quicksand and watch "The Abyss" again instead. You won't be half as bored and disappointed.
Now What?
uds322 March 2002
Warning: Spoilers
Such a comfortable old friend this movie - love it! Entertainment with a capital E! Stephen Sommers was hired to direct a "B" grade monster movie with limited funds, limited actors and limited fx and to keep it entertaining! Well, I'm here to tell you he most certainly succeeded. In the grand scale of things this flick was never going to matter, make much money or pull too many votes at the Academy Awards but I tell you what, its as honest as the day is long! Unpretentious, undemanding but heaps of fun as Treat Williams squares off against a pathetically organised gang of boat-nappers, hired by the owner to sink his own cruise ship purely for the Insurance payout!
Gorgeous Famke Janssen with whom I have wanted to have children since GOLDENEYE, plays the femme fatale in slinky red...Sorry, I'm going to have to pause here mid-review for a few minutes while I have a cold shower! She, Finnegan and his best friend Joey (O'Connor) must neutralise not only the terrorists but the somewhat awesome sea creature that has disposed of most everybody in gruesome fashion on board the ARGONAUTICA.
What makes this film so watchable, quite apart from Ms Janssen's cleavage, is the repartee, terrific characterisations and remarkably good CGI effects on show. This is not a film to critically analyse simply to enjoy...and if you can't do that, you have serious issues to deal with!
A total "B" grader that makes no attempt to disguise its pedigree. I consider it to be a winner on all levels. Great ending too! Devotees of course will fully understand the meaning of my two-word summary!
Gorgeous Famke Janssen with whom I have wanted to have children since GOLDENEYE, plays the femme fatale in slinky red...Sorry, I'm going to have to pause here mid-review for a few minutes while I have a cold shower! She, Finnegan and his best friend Joey (O'Connor) must neutralise not only the terrorists but the somewhat awesome sea creature that has disposed of most everybody in gruesome fashion on board the ARGONAUTICA.
What makes this film so watchable, quite apart from Ms Janssen's cleavage, is the repartee, terrific characterisations and remarkably good CGI effects on show. This is not a film to critically analyse simply to enjoy...and if you can't do that, you have serious issues to deal with!
A total "B" grader that makes no attempt to disguise its pedigree. I consider it to be a winner on all levels. Great ending too! Devotees of course will fully understand the meaning of my two-word summary!
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