Tag: jaume collet serra

The Shallows (2016)

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What appears as a shark attack movie is actually an unexpected tale of survival. Director Jaume Collet-Serra has captured the beauty and serenity of the waves, a tranquil beach and pristine waters, and juxtaposed it with a terrifying shark who is lurking in the shallows.

Blake Lively does a sincere role, playing a spirited woman, who takes charge of her situation, with a little help from nature. Crisp at 86 minutes, it balances the tense with the scenic, never relying on old formula to scare, rather a reasoned approach which makes the reality more fragile and horrific.

3/5

Non-Stop (2014)

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Aeroplane hijacks have been depicted several times on screen, but here it was not meant to be one. The motive was different and so were the methods of communication. What director Jaume Collet-Serra has been most effective at, is creating an atmosphere of doubt. Everyone is a suspect and no one can be viewed as innocent. This film was fast, tense, with varying levels of drama, mystery and fear, which translated into a great movie watch.

Liam Neeson brings a sincere quality to every performance and this is no exception. He is a delight to watch as he fights his inner demons and does his duty as an air marshal. Julianne Moore ably supports him and confuses us, her expressions walk the blurred line where we trust her sometimes, at others we don’t.

The ‘whothehellisdoingit’ game sees the light just as the audience is exhausted from guessing. At one point I turned to the person next to me and said, ‘It’s you isn’t it? Just admit it!’, that’s how frustratingly clever the build up is.

Watch for non-stop thrills.

3.5/5