Nostromo Pictures

Deep Water (2026): Plane Crashes and Sharks. What Could Go Wrong?

Posted on by Jack Drees

“Deep Water” is directed by Renny Harlin (Cutthroat Island, Deep Blue Sea) and stars Aaron Eckhart (The Dark Knight, Midway), Angus Sampson (Insidious, Mad Max: Fury Road), Ben Kingsley (Iron Man 3, Hugo), Lucy Barrett (Skincare, Charmed), and Molly Belle Wright (Omaha, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever). This film is about a group of people who are on a plane flying from Los Angeles to Shanghai, whose flight happens to go by the wayside as they crash in the middle of the ocean. As if things could not get any worse, the group is surrounded by sharks and must do what they can to survive.

It is now time to talk about “Deep Water,” not to be confused with the movie of the same name starring Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas, which is entirely different in premise and execution. Unlike that straight to streaming flick, this is a theatrically released thrill ride that involves a very simple, but intriguing premise.

Last year was the 50th anniversary of “Jaws,” which to this day, remains the best shark movie ever made by a clear mile. But just because “Jaws” is so great, does not mean that other shark movies do not have the potential to work. “Deep Water” is not quite a shark movie, but when the marketing showed sharks, I was sold. This looked eerie, intense, and entertaining. It is definitely a popcorn flick. Though I skipped the popcorn on this movie.

“Deep Water” does not reinvent the wheel when it comes to filmmaking or storytelling, but the film nevertheless delivers a satisfying package. Is it perfect? Absolutely not. But it does not change the fact that the film is worth watching at least once.

When it comes to the overall premise of the film, it keeps things simple. A bunch of people are on a flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai, then next things next, they make an emergency landing in the middle of the ocean. It is at this point where everyone must work together to survive. Although, getting everyone on the same page is not the easiest task.

This film contains a fairly sizable cast of characters, some of whom are played by well-known names. I am quite shocked that some of the names accepted their roles. Their paychecks must have been enormous. Although upon learning that this film had a $40 million budget, maybe not. Plus, this film is directed by Renny Harlin, who has helmed some well known films including “Cliffhanger” and “Die Hard 2.” Then again, he also directed “The Legend of Hercules,” a film so bad that I think it might as well have been better off staying a legend.

That said, while I remember some of the faces in this movie like Ben Kingsley, it is not as easy to remember the characters. Part of it is due to having so many of them, so the movie does what it can to allow everyone to have their moment, but only a particular few stand out. If you were to ask me if I am going to remember these characters in a year from now, I would probably guess not. Heck, I am having trouble recalling some of them even less than a month after seeing the movie. Do I have my favorite characters from the project? Sure.

Is this movie predictable? Perhaps. But I do not mind it being that way, because what it offers is undoubtedly entertaining. We get to know a bunch of people who are on a plane. Everyone from the crew to some of the core passengers, the plane makes an emergency landing in the ocean, and all of the characters who we got to know on the plane have some ongoing effect towards the story from here on out. Sharks appear every now and then, causing all kinds of trouble for the survivors, who realize their journey has only begun. Having said that now, it makes me appreciate this premise more. The only way this movie could have been crazier is if it went full “Snakes on a Plane” and decided to put the sharks on the plane as it was in the air. But as someone who likes logic, I am glad they did not go in that direction. It would just spawn bad memories of torturing myself while watching the “Sharknado” movies.

This movie combines two of my biggest apprehensions. Planes and sharks. For the record, I like planes. I really do. I find air travel fascinating, even if the modern air travel market is an overpriced scam. I do not fly super often, but I do take a plane one to a few times per year, and in the back of my mind I am always nervous about crashing. This movie reminds me of that fear. I always fly out of Boston, whose airport is right next to the Atlantic, a place that has sharks! Of course! Thanks, movie!

This film reminded me of another thing to be afraid of, and that happens to be lithium-ion batteries. They are everywhere. Like planes, I do not outright hate the concept of lithium-ion batteries. I understand their purpose, but the movie essentially kicks into gear because of something that happens to a lithium-ion battery. If you have ever seen a news story involving some kind of a device that contains a lithium-ion battery, I think you can imagine what that incident is. I am a little frightened as I write this review on my laptop, which I will remind you, has a lithium-ion battery inside of it that could blow up if I make one wrong move. There is a reason why people working at airports ask if you have anything with lithium-ion batteries on you before your flight!

Movies are experiences, and to say I experienced fear in “Deep Water” is an understatement. Is this the best movie of the year? No. The characters could be a little deeper (not literally), but it is never boring. It gives the bones of the characters and makes them likable enough. The shark action is sometimes fun to watch. It is not the best I have ever seen. It is not like I am watching “The Shallows” starring Blake Lively, which I still fondly remember about a decade after its release. That said, this film is not 100% camp. It has campy moments, but the plane crash, which goes on for more time than I was anticipating, felt rather dramatic. There happened to be a sense of stakes as the plane was falling down. You could feel the emotions and the nerves running through the characters, and those emotions and nerves stuck around as the sharks came out to play. This movie is thrilling, well-paced, and engaging.

© Arclight Films

In the end, “Deep Water” is a solid plane crash movie, on top of being a solid shark movie. It takes two disastrously bone-chilling scenarios and neatly combines them into one premise. This is not Shakespeare, but it is also not something that deserves to be tossed aside either. It is a decent movie that allows you to munch popcorn while watching tons of people figure out how not to die. Is this film the next “Jaws?” No. But it is a good watch. I am going to give “Deep Water” a 7/10.

“Deep Water” is now playing in select theaters. Tickets are available now!

Thanks for reading this review! I would like to take a moment to remind everyone that my next episode of Movie Requests is going to feature “Clerks” actor Brian O’Halloran! He has appeared in all three installments of Kevin Smith’s retail-based trilogy, and in the next couple of weeks, I will be reviewing his film of choice. That review is SUPPOSED TO BE HERE on Sunday June, 7th. If you have not done so already, please check out my review for “High Noon,” requested by “Battlestar Galactica” star Katee Sackhoff! If you want to see more reviews throughout the series as soon as they are uploaded, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel! I will also share them here, but subscribing to my channel is the fastest way you can check them out. Life is short, you know. Might as well spend your time wisely.

I have a buttload of written reviews coming soon! My next reviews are going to be for “Animal Farm,” “Mortal Kombat II,” “The Sheep Detectives,” “In the Grey, “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu,” and “I Love Boosters.” If you want to see these reviews and more from Scene Before, follow the blog either with an email or WordPress account! Also, check out the official Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “Deep Water?” What did you think about it? Or, what is a movie that reminds you of some of your personal fears? Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!

The Penguin Lessons (2024): A Poignant and Pleasant Penguin Picture

Posted on by Jack Drees

“The Penguin Lessons” is directed by Peter Cattaneo (The Full Monty, Military Wives) and stars Steve Coogan (Night at the Museum, Philomena), Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes, Brazil), Vivian El Jaber (Guapas, Cha Cha Cha), and Björn Gustafsson (People of Earth, Parlamentet). This film is about an Englishman living in 1970s Argentina who rescues and looks after an orphaned penguin.

One of the coolest things about going to the movies is getting to experience something with other people. “The Penguin Lessons” is the latest example of one of those events. Partially because this is a film I would have probably waited a bit before going to see by myself. Granted, the trailer, for the few times I saw it, won me over, but this was not my kind of movie. I picked this movie to watch with a couple other people, particularly my mom and grandma, as an equalizer. I thought it would be something we would all agree on.

Thankfully, the decision to watch this film was a wise one. “The Penguin Lessons” is one of the most adorable films I have seen in a long time. I am the furthest thing from a pet person, but even I was captivated by the connection between our film’s protagonist, Tom, and a penguin who eventually winds up going by the name Juan Salvador. The film itself follows a predictable path, where you have a guy who could care less about owning a penguin, he is essentially obligated to take care of it, and he ends up forming an unlikely bond with it. Although the film is much more than that. It is a look into a tragic time for Argentina, where its people were noticeably divided and under dictatorship rule.

In some cases, the penguin in this film seems to serve as an escape from the troubles Argentina’s people were experiencing at this time. We see him not only as Tom Michell’s pet, but also as a reward for his class. There is a scene where we see the class spiraling into chaos, and to calm him down, Michell goes into his nearby home, grabs the penguin, and walks into class with it. Having had time to think about this movie, I probably would have had a much different reaction to this scene if Michell suddenly brought in a dog or a cat, considering a decent number of people are allergic to them. That said, in fairness, there are not as many known records of people having penguin allergies. It is nice to see this group of students experience a moment of comfort and joy in what is clearly a tense time. Some of these boys may be immature or part of the problem, but we see them lighten up a bit because of this one animal.

Some of the best films have something to say about what it means to be human. At certain points, “The Penguin Lessons” is not afraid to show the worst of humanity, as this film is set in an Argentinian dictatorship where anyone on the street can be captured. “The Penguin Lessons” reminds me of humanity’s unique connection to other creatures. We do not just bond with our own kind, but also many others. In fact, the penguin in this film sometimes shows it is easier for certain people to step up for another animal than it is for them to step up for another human being, even if they see another human being in serious danger. In some cases, that may be because we do not want to risk our own lives, partially to the blame of, unfortunately, other humans.

The film may be set during a dark, gritty time, but it manages to pack plenty of joy and levity into just about every other scene. If you are looking to escape from the problems of the real world, this movie surprisingly works, despite also presenting a world with prominent problems of its own. The first 30 minutes of this film, especially when we first see our protagonist and the penguin in the same place, is sometimes laugh out loud funny. There is a line, I will not say what it is, but you will know it when you hear it, that Tom says twice in a span of several minutes, and I was almost rolling on the floor. It is not so much the line itself that is funny as much as it is the delivery. There are moments where Tom finds out what it is like to clean up bird poop, but much to my delight, the film does not treat it so much like a gag.

This film is directed by Peter Cattaneo, who was previously nominated for a Best Director Oscar for “The Full Monty.” With “The Penguin Lessons” being a 2024 release to some degree and having its wide release this early in 2025, I do not know if Cattaneo is going to get another nomination, but if the Oscars were tomorrow, his presence amongst the nominees would be debatable. Between his perfect balance of comedy and drama, as well as the timing connected to both of those genres, Cattaneo knows exactly what he is doing.

Another reason why Cattaneo knows what he is doing shows through the performances. This film is led by Steve Coogan, who I have seen in a number of films before. But I am not going to lie, I had no idea who the lead was for this film going in,. As I was watching, I thought, much to my embarrassment down the line, that I was looking at Hugh Grant. The two actors have their aesthetic individualities, but for whatever reason they do look surprisingly similar. Steve Coogan in this film sort of reminds me of a Hugh Grant type. His character, Tom, is reserved and comes off as if he is stuck in his ways. Yet at the same time, if you get to know him, you will realize he is a wholesome person. While Tom may seem like a grump on occasion, he stands firmly alongside Juan Salvador the penguin as the film’s heart and soul.

The film clearly establishes Tom’s lack of enthusiasm for keeping a penguin from the getgo, but never once did I think he was a jerk. Heck, if someone randomly handed me a penguin, I would probably resist the idea of keeping it too. But this film shows the fascinating journey of what happens when you choose to keep a pet you never wanted, and how taking on such a responsibility can be rewarding.

In the end, “The Penguin Lessons” is a well-paced, well-written delight. If you are looking for a film that focuses on Argentinian history, it might be for you, but you may also want to look elsewhere. Ultimately, this is an adorable story about a man and his penguin. If that is what you signed up for, you will be satisfied. Steve Coogan gives a heck of a performance. It is still early, but I will be interested to see what other portrayals could top it throughout the year. I highly recommend “The Penguin Lessons,” and I am going to give it an 8/10.

“The Penguin Lessons” is now playing in theaters and is also available to rent or buy on VOD.

Thanks for reading this review! If you have been paying attention to my recent posts, you may have noticed my last couple have focused heavily on game shows. If you have not yet checked them out, be sure to read my thoughts on “The Luckiest Man in America,” the new movie based on a couple of infamous “Press Your Luck” episodes, as well as my thoughts going into the upcoming season of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.” If you want to see posts like these and more from Scene Before, follow the blog either with an email or WordPress account! Also, check out the official Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “The Penguin Lessons?” What did you think about it? Or, what is your favorite movie involving penguins? I’ll even accept “Batman Returns.” That movie is sick. Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!