sessing the only clue to the location of “Dryland,” from The Deacon, and hope he can save the rest of humanity from a global, water-like desert. Waterworld was a flop that didn’t even earn twice its budget—an outlandish $172 million, the most expensive film produced up until Titanic—in worldwide grosses. Domestically, it didn’t even reach $100 million. And the film’s critical reception didn’t exactly consist of universal praise, but I must say I enjoy every bit of Waterworld. It’s just another one of those films that’s fun to watch. The film is somewhat regarded as a cult classic today, and eventually led to the addition of Waterworldthemed attractions at Universal Studios parks in California and Florida.
Point Break (1991) I couldn’t hesitate including this one given the atrocious remake set to release in December. I realize it may not be as much the water adventure type as the other films listed, but any Point Break fan has to admit the film evokes a heavy summer vibe. And it’s in that vibe where I find the film appropriate for this list. In California, FBI agent Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves) assists agent Pappas (Gary Busey) in hunting a group of bank robbers known as the Ex-Presidents. Operating on the theory the robbers are local surfers, Utah goes undercover within the surfing community, eventually befriending a group of surfers led by Bodhi (Patrick Swayze). However, Utah soon realizes his new friends may be the very criminals he’s pursuing, and from that point, the chase is on in a high-adrenaline thrill ride that makes audiences want to take to the beaches. I’ll say this has become one of my favorite Keanu Reeves films in the last couple years—my ultimate favorite being Speed (1994)—and the dynamic between him and Swayze is just spectacular despite some of the film’s cheese. Point Break is simply one of those classic ‘90s action films which set the bar for ‘90s action cinema overall. And though I’ve never been surfing, I can’t help but get that yearning for the sandy, salt-water sensation that goes hand in hand with the beach, making it impossible
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for me to exclude Point Break from this list. The Hunt for Red October (1990) This one might just be my favorite espionage thriller, and as it so happens, it’s also primarily set in the depths of the Atlantic. Cinema hasn’t given us too many films based around submarine warfare, and to be honest, a Tom Clancy Cold War thriller starring Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, James Earl Jones, Scott Glenn and Sam Neill made by the director of Die Hard (1988) pretty much tops any others out there. When a Soviet submarine captain, Marko Ramius (Connery), dives on the maiden voyage of nuclear submarine Red October with the intent to defect to the United States, C.I.A. analyst Jack Ryan (Baldwin) must convince the U.S. National Security Advisor (Richard Jordan), naval officers and Commander Mancuso (Glenn) of the USS Dallas to meet and assist Ramius before the Soviet naval fleet can locate and sink the Red October, and all while avoiding World War III with the Soviet Union. With deception at every corner, The Hunt for Red October leads the audience on a naval thrill ride that puts most modern spy thrillers to shame. Connery and Baldwin’s performances are certainly the most memorable elements of the film, and combined with the film’s amazing submarine set pieces, locations, underwater battle sequences and Basil Poledouris’ musical score, The Hunt for Red October became a huge critical and commercial success, as well as a popular movie which lasts the test of time. And although the film takes place in the icy waters of the North Atlantic (like Titanic), it still makes for a fun water adventure to watch after a day in the summer sun. Dead Calm (1989) Before Sam Neill took to the depths in The Hunt for Red October (1990) and Billy Zane boarded the titular, ill-fated ocean liner in Titanic (1997), they starred in this Australian thriller set in the horrifying, but beautiful isolation of the Pacific Ocean. Following the tragic loss of their son, Capt. John Ingram of the R.A.N. (Neill) and his wife Rae (Nicole Kidman) venture out to the Pacific in an effort to deal with their grief. After weeks at sea, the couple encounter a sinking vessel bearing a lone, distraught man named Hughie (Zane), who claims his fellow passengers all succumbed to food poisoning days earlier. But John’s discovery of mutilated corpses and disturbing video aboard Hughie’s boat reveals the loner to be a psychopathic murderer, who leaves John stranded as he steals
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the Ingram’s yacht with Rae still aboard. With nothing between them but ocean, Rae must do whatever she can to subdue her deranged captor, while John uses his naval instincts to salvage Hughie’s vessel and reunite with his wife. As far as underrated films go, this one sits at the top of my list, not to mention it’s one of my favorite thrillers. It’s one of those shorter films (running at 96 minutes) that doesn’t take long to get one’s blood pumping, but what’s best Dead Calm is its simplicity. The film features only three main actors (the rest only featured via videotape), two authentic boats and is entirely shot in the Whitsunday Islands near Australia. When it comes down to it, Dead Calm is as practical as it gets in filmmaking, and furthermore, it turns the idea of a peaceful, relaxing cruise into a rather horrifying scenario. Like with Alien (1979), you’re all alone in a vast, foreign environment, yet confined, and if anything happens, no one else would know, and no one can help you. So imagine coming across another person, whose true personality and motives are unknown. What would you really do? Would you really pick the person up, or just keep sailing? Think about it. Jaws (1975) This one is my personal favorite, and in my opinion, the greatest and most classic water adventure ever made. In the 40 years since Jaws’ release, few films have had as significant a social impact, and while it’s unfortunate the film’s popularity came hand in hand with a paranoid fear of sharks carrying on for generations, one still can’t deny the brilliance and beauty of Jaws as they watch. Set in the beach resort community of Amity Island, a great white shark puts a damper on summer festivities when a young girl’s remains wash ashore. Fearing for the safety of the island’s citizens, Police Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) fights the town’s mayor (Murray Hamilton) to close the beaches. The mayor’s stubbornness prevails, resulting in several more deaths, one on the Fourth of July. Teamed with marine biologist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and shark hunter Quint (Robert Shaw), the three venture out to sea to take on the predator and put an end to the summer terror, but little do they know this shark will give them more than they bargained for. Set during the time of the summer beach craze on and around the Fourth of July, it’s almost impossible not to have a Jaws urge once summer hits. The film’s classic status, thrilling action scenes, music and phenomenal performances by Scheider, Shaw and Dreyfuss make it one of the most fun films one can watch not just in the summer, but
period. Its historical significance regarding the explosive popularity of summer blockbusters also makes it the ultimate predecessor for most of the previously mentioned titles on this list. However, we’re not done yet. Thunderball (1965) This is a title I had the pleasure of discovering only three years ago, and I have to say I don’t know why in the hell it took me so long to watch this one. Sean Connery’s fourth film as James Bond, as well as the overall fourth entry in the Eon Productions series, is most certainly one of the better of the early Bond films. When Emilio Largo (Adolfo Celi) of the criminal syndicate S.P.E.C.T.R.E. hijacks two nuclear weapons, British agent James Bond (Connery) is sent to Nassau in The Bahamas to investigate, locate the bombs and stop Largo before he can destroy Miami. Connery’s fourth adventure as Bond sees him in a two-hour adventure loaded with underwater scenery and stunts, which did nothing short of dazzle viewers in 1965. It was the biggest and boldest Bond film of its time, and remains one of Connery’s best entries. In all my recent exploration of the Bond series, I find what I call the Terence Young trilogy—Dr. No (1962), From Russia with Love (1963) and Thunderball—to be the best examples of the classic Bond era. And yes, I know Goldfinger (1964) is not among these three titles, but I feel Young’s films bear more kinship to one another due to the involvement of S.P.E.C.T.R.E. and Blofeld, Bond’s nemesis. Now, in my opinion, From Russia from Love is the best of Young’s films, but Thunderball is the movie to watch on a hot summer afternoon after a trip to the pool ,not to mention it features my favorite closing sequence of any Bond film ever. There’s enough diving featured to make anyone take a trip to the Caribbean, and one of the most ridiculous sequences featuring spearguns I have ever seen in a movie. It’s hilarious to be honest, and while Thunderball carries a certain level of ‘60s campiness which tends to date movies significantly, it’s the awesomeness of Connery’s Bond that keeps the viewer interested and wanting to watch Thunderball again and again. So how should movie lovers spend the rest of their summer? I’ve contributed some worthy suggestions, but as I previously stated, summer’s about having fun in one’s own way, and given the subjection of film, it’s fair to say the possibilities are endless. So make the most of it, and watch whatever kicks up your mood for summer fun.