Dead Water (Movie Review)

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

PLOT: David, a U.S. Marine with severe PTSD, goes on a yachting vacation with his wife and deceased brother’s best friend in the Virgin Islands. While on the high seas, the trio must sort out their own personal baggage while fending off a solo pirate with his own deadly agenda.

REVIEW: Chalk it up to the soft bigotry of low expectations, but I anticipated very little to write home about regarding DEAD WATER (as opposed to LIVE WATER?), a slack seafaring four-hander starring Judd Nelson and Casper Van Dien that I’d heard little to nothing about prior to screening. And while the movie ultimately suffers from the generic trappings and third-act fumbling, the rutilant scenery of the U.S. Virgin Islands is not only arresting to marvel at, but surprisingly, the movie is far more credibly performed than one may expect given this point in the leading stars’ respective careers. Alas, the script itself lacks the necessary dramatic tension to make the attempts at suspense truly gripping, and despite a genuinely captivating standout turn from Griff Furst, the fascination of the first-half of the film falls prey to the nonsensical lunacy of the second. In simpler terms, the scenery is sunny and serene; the acting is above average, but the script seems to come unglued with each passing page. While sure to flee your memory as soon as it’s over, there are worse ways to divert 85 summery minutes of your time than plunging into DEAD WATER!

David (Furst) is a decorated U.S. Marine with double-digit fatalities to his name. Between his multi-tour duties in the Middle East and the death of his older brother Danny, also a soldier, David suffers from crippling PTSD. He hides it well enough in front of his wife Vivian (Brianne Davis), but even she knows what kind of psychological toll such traumatic experiences have left him with. After the film begins with a shot of a floating body in the water from below the surface, from a scene that will re-circulate in the end, David meets up with his old pal John (Van Dien). Better yet, Danny’s old best friend, a suave doctor we instantly sense has a curious card up his sleeve. Knowing of his loss, John tries to cheer David up with a round of cocktails to celebrate his return from tour. John even asks David and Vivian to accompany him on a yachting cruise to the Virgin Islands. Some coaxing ensues before the couple agrees to hit the open water. When they board the modern yacht, we further gather a sordid history of sorts between John and Vivian, who we later learn spent time together on occasion in David’s absence. Still, it’s all party with Pabst tall-boys and cases of rum as the three imbibe the night away reminiscing over the good old days.

While not much happens in terms of the first half of the plot, the psychological tug-of-war between the three characters is still fascinating, in large part due to the compelling performance of Furst as David. We sense his tormented unease, the vexed pill-popping, his inability to relax and enjoy his vacation, and the escalating paranoia he feels from the perception that John is out to steal his girl. Even when John shows pictures of his so-called RN girlfriend Samantha, David remains inquisitive and untrusting. This is designed as a small movie with only four actors largely predicated on (often stilted) dialogue and exposition, and yet it’s what Furst is able to do with his eyes and face between the lines that really shade his character so colorfully. The problem, aside from Judd Nelson receiving top-billing for only 20 odd minutes of screen time, is when the seemingly random pirate character of McLean (Nelson) needlessly shows up in the final act of the film. Of course, when we’ve already gathered that his presence is not at all coincidental, and so the movie devolves into a tensionless series of silly, lackluster showdowns that all but sullies the aforesaid fascination of Furst’s performance. I honestly think the entire McLean subplot could have been discarded in favor of polishing and tautening-up the established three-handed dynamic of the first two acts. Sadly, the movie ditches its strongest parts in favor of a ridiculous conclusion, one that neither provides enough suspense nor the requisite dramatic enthrallment to satisfy as a well-earned subplot, and one that could have easily been avoided.

But even before the disappointing finale, combined with Furst’s fine turn, the movies moderate entertainment value comes from its elegant yacht setting and gorgeously shot surroundings. Longtime Steadicam operator turned DP Josh Pickering (A GHOST STORY, THE OLD MAN & THE GUN), who’s worked with far more accomplished directors heretofore, vividly injects a sharp visual style that gives the film a light, breezy, enjoyable patina from the get-go. The movie looks more expensive than it surely is. For his part in this regard, Helton does a decent job choreographing the action and staid inaction amid a single locale – be it below deck in the cabins, galley, engine room, or above deck on the stern, bow, crow’s nest, etc. The featured yacht chosen is sleek, luxurious and handsome, and goes a long way in giving us an appreciated setting we rarely see. But again, by the time the script reveals its weak losing hand in the finale, the setting and acting alone can’t overcome the boneheaded bluff that it’s exposed for in the end. So, unless you happen to be die hard completists of Nelson or Van Dien, the reasons, if any, to wade among DEAD WATER is for its superb setting, rich cinematography, and Furst’s outstanding turn. Beyond that, DEAD WATER’S inedible fodder!