Adrift
By Cory Peynado, Blockbuster.co.uk

Director Hans Horn takes us back into blue territory with this year’s ocean frightener, Adrift. Referred to outside the UK as Open water 2, (no joke) this movie takes a group of old friends and sees them reuniting on a plush cruise aboard a luxury boat for the weekend, or at least that was the plan…

The story opens in a casual but mysteriously unsettling way. We learn that one of our crew of six, Amy ( Susan May Pratt) has an overbearing fear of the ocean due to a long unforgotten memory involving her father drowning in front of her when she was just a little girl. This frailty forces her to wear a life jacket at all times and pretty much singles her out as our most vulnerable and helpless character. The partying six-some set sail into the deep waters and decide to take a dip in the middle of the desolate icy sea to cool off from the sun.

Amy is unwittingly thrown into the water against her will sparking off the first real momentous incident. The second being that they all forgot to lower the ladder before they entered the water. Thus ensuing an endless string of arguments and accusations (even some fighting comes into play) and this is where the film gives the audience the chance to choose who they secretly want to live and undoubtedly who they want to see perish.

With a film that is based on true events we are very likely to spend a lot of this film screaming out the things that we would do in the same situation. This is a blessing and a curse really because as much as you want to scorn the stars for not coming up with a solution it actually becomes very very hard to peel your eyes from the screen. Believe me, when the sun begins to fade and the night time kicks in you WILL begin to feel the chill of cold water around you and you will start to feel the psychological hopelessness and frustration that our six exhausted strandee’s now have to face.

It’s a totally enjoyable film on all levels. Of course comparisons to it’s older brother “ Open Water” are bound to divide opinion, one side saying that the plot plays out a lot better in this film and there’s more of a story and the other side maybe saying that there is less of a danger element in Adrift. I would actually say that these films sit quite comfortably along side each other with no real stand out winner. Both offering great popcorn style entertainment and the word on the street is that this may not even be the last Hollywood has to offer on this new wave of bobbling-stowaway genre. Don’t get left behind! Add this to your list now.

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