DARK TIDE follows Kate Mathieson (Halle Berry), a top marine biologist who has been studying sharks for over a decade. She’s known in some circles as the “shark whisperer” and can swim freely with them without harm. However, after one of her diving teammates gets mauled by a great white, Kate backs off for several years until a billionaire entices her out into the water. Now she must face her fear and swim alongside the deadly creatures again.
If DARK TIDE sounds like a B-movie you wouldn’t be mistaken. Although it stars Academy Award winner Halle Berry and was actually released in theaters (though only in a limited capacity), it’s still a B-movie through and through. Why Halle Berry participated in a film like this is beyond me, but maybe she just wanted to show audiences she can still look good in a bikini. Not sure that’s a good way to maintain your credibility in Hollywood, but everyone has their own angle.
Let it be known that the only redeeming factor in DARK TIDE is the footage of the sharks and adorable seals. There were some great shots of the great whites underwater as well as some beautiful landscapes. The film was shot in South Africa and it really was a beautiful location. DARK TIDE will make you want to visit South Africa, however, no amount of cinematography was going to save this film.
DARK TIDE might have been a little more tolerable if there was one likable character. Audiences can get behind a weak story like the one we were given, but when your viewers don’t care about who is on screen then you have a serious problem. Kate was a bit of a crybaby, her boyfriend was trying to gain success from her career and the billionaire was just a jerk plain and simple. When you want the sharks to take out everyone DEEP BLUE SEA style then you may need to reevaluate your screenplay.
Another major problem with DARK TIDE was the score. When the background moves the audience to feel a certain emotion it’s never a good thing. There were many scenes during DARK TIDE where it was very apparent we were supposed to be nervous for the characters for whatever reason. In fact, there was one point in the film where the boat has a major issue and a lot of terms were thrown around that may be a little unfamiliar to land-lovers, but even though we may have no clue as to what the problem was, the audience was still tense because of the music. Nobody wants to be told how to feel, no matter how subtle you are trying to be.
Overall, DARK TIDE was just a boring film. The acting was average, the characters were unlikeable and the score was too intense. I think I would have enjoyed it much more if it were just a documentary about that area of South Africa, because the scenery and wildlife were really beautifully shot. It’s too bad that aspect won’t be seen by too many people because it really was a sight to behold.
Video: Beautifully shot scenery and the overall quality was great. If there is one complaint it’s that some of the film was shot in the dark and it’s just tough to see exactly what was going on.
Audio: When it was utilized the surround sound was great and was crystal clear.
Theatrical Trailer