The plot of Open Water was one of the worst kept secrets of 2004 and just about every diver knew its storyline from start to finish before it ever reached the theaters. Well, here it is again. A couple on a dive vacation surfaces to find the resort's boat has mistakenly left without them, leaving them stranded in -- open water! Needless to say, Open Water wasn't well received by the dive industry and the fact that it was based on a true story didn't make it any more palatable. The reaction among divers was also basically negative, although the general public seemed to like it -- kind of.

There are a few things worth mentioning here. The movie does a great job of capturing the feel of a resort dive boat, from the mildly comical stylings of the dive master to the serious skipper to the obnoxious passenger who forgets his mask. And these aren't just stereotypes. They nail 'em. The dive scenes themselves aren't particularly interesting, making one wonder why anyone would pay money to dive here. Regardless, in a monstrously anti-climactic moment, the boat crew loses track of how many divers are in the water, pulls anchor and leaves with our couple still under.

When they do eventually surface, they're not entirely clear on what's happened or why. There are a couple of other boats out on the horizon, though, and they're not particularly worried. But they make the decision not to swim to either: they'll wait to be rescued. And herein lies the basic problem with the movie. How long can you enthusiastically watch people who are unwilling to do anything but bob up and down in the water? They won't swim, they won't yell, they barely manage to wave their arms. Yes, there are the inevitable psychodramas as they move through the predictable stages of denial, anger and acceptance. Yes, there are sharks. Yes, other vessels pass close by but don't see them. Whatever. They're still two people bobbing up and down, up and down, up and down.

The most interesting part of the story is the couple's blissful ignorance of the depth, breadth and power of the ocean. They're stranded in the water miles from shore but remain generally calm, secure in the belief that this is little more than a ride in Disneyland – and what can possibly happen to you in Disneyland. All in all, though, this is a boring movie and the ocean photography, both above and below the surface, can't save it.