Cast: Treat Williams, Famke Janssen, Anthony Heald, Kevin J. O'Connor, Wes Studi
Director: Stephen Sommers
U.S. Distribution: Hollywood
U.S. Release Date: 1/30/98
Running Time: 1:46
MPAA Rating: R
Here's a thriller that is all too familiar.
Treat Williams (yes, that Treat Williams) is a deep sea adventurer who discovers that members of his crew are actually - SURPRISE! - bad guys (the nuclear weapons sort who are into looting on the side). A luxury liner happens along and the baddies set out to steal the night away. What they find onboard is a ballroom of blood (and that's putting it mildly) and - SURPRISE!! - a gargantuan Octopus-like creature awaiting its next meal. Famke Janssen and Anthony Heald are among the few survivors on the Argonautica, which - SURPRISE!!! - is making its maiden voyage. (Get the picture?)
It is all very predictable. But what ultimately sinks this movie is the preposterous action sequences. The last thing we need to see is our heroes on Jet Skis, blindly racing through the bowels of the ship. But, guess what?!
Deep Rising is a mostly mindless and highly forgettable horror-action pic with one exception - the big budget creature effects. If you like your sea monsters bloody and nasty, large and in-charge, you may be willing to waste an hour or so in exchange for a few cheap thrills. Just be sure to check your brain at the door.
© 1998, Delton Perrodin