A beautiful love story. A provocative thriller. An educational lesson in science. A political message about terrorism. The poetry of John Donne. The startling imagery of lightness and darkness.
The capsules above are what the filmmakers of "Submergence" wanted to blend as they combined a scientific exploration of the lower depths of the ocean with a political thriller that addressed the prevention of the war on terror, with two star-crossed lovers caught in the middle.
In the DVD bonus track, the film artists identified the three main strands of their film as "science, belief, and love." From the stunning ocean cliffs of Normandy to the rugged, sandy beaches of Somalia, the film wanted to be adventuresome and daring. Unfortunately, it was a crashing bore!
The principal relationship of Professor Danny Flinders (the bio-mathematician) and James More (the counter-terrorism operative) begins in dishonesty. James never reveals to Danny the truth about his dangerous profession or upcoming mission. Details like that do not seem to matter to director Wim Wenders, who has his eye on the grander and more abstract values of an art film exploring such themes as "the origin of life."
The film was sluggish in the pacing and thin on action, especially the scenes in which More is held hostage and tortured by the jihadists. The pretentious nature of the film was apparent in such high-brow scientific terms as hadopalagic (deriving from the Greek term for the underworld, Hades) that were intended to hook audiences with an otherworldly experience at the bottom of the Atlantic. Unfortunately, "Submergence" was a journey into a never-ending heart of darkness that left the audience numb and depressed.
The capsules above are what the filmmakers of "Submergence" wanted to blend as they combined a scientific exploration of the lower depths of the ocean with a political thriller that addressed the prevention of the war on terror, with two star-crossed lovers caught in the middle.
In the DVD bonus track, the film artists identified the three main strands of their film as "science, belief, and love." From the stunning ocean cliffs of Normandy to the rugged, sandy beaches of Somalia, the film wanted to be adventuresome and daring. Unfortunately, it was a crashing bore!
The principal relationship of Professor Danny Flinders (the bio-mathematician) and James More (the counter-terrorism operative) begins in dishonesty. James never reveals to Danny the truth about his dangerous profession or upcoming mission. Details like that do not seem to matter to director Wim Wenders, who has his eye on the grander and more abstract values of an art film exploring such themes as "the origin of life."
The film was sluggish in the pacing and thin on action, especially the scenes in which More is held hostage and tortured by the jihadists. The pretentious nature of the film was apparent in such high-brow scientific terms as hadopalagic (deriving from the Greek term for the underworld, Hades) that were intended to hook audiences with an otherworldly experience at the bottom of the Atlantic. Unfortunately, "Submergence" was a journey into a never-ending heart of darkness that left the audience numb and depressed.