Directed by:
Luc BessonCinematography:
Carlo VariniCast:
Rosanna Arquette, Jean-Marc Barr, Jean Reno, Paul Shenar, Sergio Castellitto, Jean Bouise, Griffin Dunne, Valentina Vargas, Eric Do, Luc Besson, Paul Herman (more)VOD (1)
Plots(1)
Jacques (Jean-Marc Barr) and his friendly rival Enzo (Jean Reno) are considered masters of free-diving and have made a career out of this one-of-a-kind competition. Jacques feels an unusual bond with the sea and Enzo is in it for the sheer danger involved. A new dimension of their lifelong rivalry is generated by the beautiful Johana (Rosanna Arquette) who leaves her career in New York to accompany the two men on the international diving circuit. Beautiful underwater cinematography and a stunning score enrich Besson's celebrated English-language debut. (StudioCanal UK)
(more)Reviews (11)
Great idea. Very interesting execution. What about the result? It’s very hard to express, I had a hard time even with the rating in this case. Besson has a very distinctive style, he can turn an intimate human story into a gripping and compelling spectacle, as he did in Leon or La Femme Nikita. But this one is a completely different film and it will depend a lot on the nature and the tolerance of the viewer. Everyone will probably react differently to a story about the rivalry between two old friends, which is kept at a very slow pace throughout, lacks any special effects and plays on emotions. But Besson put his whole filmmaking heart into it, and that had an impact on the result, with an unforgettable ending that is a beautiful signature over this small but at the same time huge film.
()
The Big Blue is a beautiful film in terms of its depth of thought and the poetics of its story. I’m willing to forgive it for its wild mixing of drama and comedy; after all, it’s French. What I can’t forgive, however, is the stark visual concept, which takes it off the movie screen and puts it on a television screen. I expect visual appeal from the creator of The Professional, La Femme Nikita and Atlantis.
()
This avid diver and amateur oceanologist made himself and me happy. His film revels in the sun, in various shades of blue, and makes you want to put on a swimsuit and jump into the sea. And even though the plot itself is not very optimistic, it breathes comfort and Besson's love for the sea. And Eric Serra? He’s superb here! He applied his penchant for synthetic sounds, which he transformed into ambient surfaces that are beautiful to listen to. I own the soundtrack, it's a very relaxing album, totally different from his sound cacophony in The Fifth Element.
()
The only really magical place in this movie is its ending. But it takes a long time to get there; way too long.
()
For two years, The Big Blue has been taking up space on my hard drive without any use and all this time I didn't have the desire or courage to watch it, anticipating that I would significantly dislike this effort from Luc Besson. The time when it had something to offer me is long gone, very long gone. I was not mistaken and when I think about it, I get the impression that my 2 stars are quite a decent expression of my conformity with 84% satisfaction on FilmBooster and enthusiastic comments from many users. What Besson offers me, i.e., music and underwater shots, can be offered to me in a more attractive package by any nature documentary. I don't like its Hollywood sloppiness, it is empty in content and besides, I increasingly mind films that pretend to have greater depth and profound messages where all I see is more posing. Overall impression: 40%.
()
It's interesting to follow the journey of a filmmaker who was considered a phenomenon in the 1980s and nowadays no one is too sure whether the trust placed in him was a disappointment or just exaggerated expectations. Be that as it may, it's now a piece of history and the French touch of Besson is not nearly as engaging as it once was. However, in hindsight, it's quite interesting to watch then-star Rosanna Arquette in a very natural role (remember those sassy, unattractive girls of hers?), Jean-Marc Barr (who I otherwise only see in von Trier projects), and Reno, who I never know what to think of (are those poses of his still cool today)?
()
It lacks a proper visual concept. Occasionally, it looks like a cheap made-for-TV production rather than a work of the famous Luc Besson. A few nice deep shots, several scenes with dolphins, and that's about all that’s worth mentioning. Only Eric Serra didn't disappoint, he gain composed perfect music that can easily rival his greatest works (La Femme Nikita, Leon).
()
A melancholic, relaxing film about the many facets of true friendship, love and passion, with an excellent Jean Reno and (how else) a magical score by Eric Serra. For three hours it transported me to another world where there is quiet, peace and tranquility. I like that.
()
At first glance it is an overly long film, but while watching it you realize that everything is in its place and all the scenes are important for the general impression. The Big Blue is a visually captivating film with a wonderful score by Eric Serra and great and convincing performances by the central trio. The actors were able to relate very well to their roles - the downtrodden, slowly sinking into the depths and increasingly absent in spirit Jean-Marc Barr as Jacques; the fortune-seeking, likeable and constantly compromising Rosanna Arquette as Joan; and not least the obstacle-seeking and conquering, family-oriented and charismatic Jean Reno as Enzo. The magical depths hold myriad secrets and it's only a question of why Jacques was so attracted to it. The most powerful moment was Enzo's last attempt to descend into the deep and the final (ambiguous) scene. A quality film that, despite its running time, I found very interesting, entertaining and moving.
()
I like movies that look like their storyboards, I like Cinéma du look, I like the sea and Jean Reno. By contrast, however, I find sports in general to be eminently moronic performances, and watching overgrown kids measure their depths then makes it impossible to accept this great, fatal, fateful plane rising above the rules of civilization.
()
I was a bit surprised by how long the film is, and I almost feel that if it were shortened by an hour, the viewer wouldn't actually miss out on anything significant, although this way viewers managed to connect with the characters and understand what happened at the end and what it meant for the main character. But it is the finale that shows the beauty of the love of life and dreams, even though it may appear otherwise.
()
Ads