“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.

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!