Tagline: Treasure has its price.
Into the Blue is a high-stakes thriller set in the deep, shark-infested waters of the Bahamas. When four young divers discover a legendary shipwreck rumored to contain millions in gold at the bottom of the sea, they believe their dream of buried treasure has come true. But nearby on the ocean floor, a sunken plane full of illegal cargo threatens their find.
The friends make a pact to keep quiet about both discoveries so they can excavate the shipwreck before a rival treasure hunter uncovers their secret and beats them to the gold. But their plan goes awry when they realize dangerous smugglers are already closing in on the missing plane, and one of the friends makes a fatal decision that quickly turns the treasure hunters into the hunted.
Into the Blue is a 2005 American action-thriller film starring Paul Walker, Jessica Alba, Scott Caan, Ashley Scott, Josh Brolin, and James Frain. The film was directed by John Stockwell and was distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Columbia Pictures.
The special features section of the DVD chronicles how much of the film was filmed as live action shots in the sea off the Bahamas, with live, wild sharks. It shows film crews wearing chain mail as protection whilst the cast perform in the water unprotected. The filming was made possible by the development of shark tourism in the Bahamas. The sharks are used to being hand fed and will not generally attack humans but as a result will grab any item that “hits” the water as potential food. In an early scene, Paul Walker has to grab two fins and a dive mask flung to him by Alba. During filming he missed the mask. It was never seen again after hitting the water and the DVD suggests that it was taken by a shark.
Into the Blue was a box office flop. Produced on a budget of $50 million, the film made just $18 million in North America and $26 million internationally for a total of $44 million worldwide.
About the Story
When four young free divers come upon a legendary shipwreck — rumored to contain millions in gold — they believe their dream of buried treasure has come true. But nearby, on the ocean floor, they unearth another, more sinister, mystery. The fortune-hunting friends make a pact to keep quiet about both discoveries so they can excavate the shipwreck before a rival treasure hunter discovers their secret and beats them to the gold. But with so much at stake, their loyalties are tested. Facing hidden dangers at every turn, the hunters become the hunted. In less than 60 feet of water, the world’s oceans hold over $6 billion in treasure.
Hurricane season in the Bahamas brings both destruction and deliverance. Most islanders fear the wild winds and incessant rains. For undersea treasure hunters, though, the hurricanes can be a blessing. Their powerful waves churn up the ocean bottom, lifting years of sand and possibly exposing gold-laden galleons long buried among the reefs.
Jared Cole (Paul Walker) is a part-time treasure hunter with a leaky boat who dreams of striking it rich in the clear turquoise waters off New Providence. His girlfriend, Samantha “Sam” Nicholson (Jessica Alba), has already realized her dream, working as a shark handler at a resort while living with Jared in a threadbare trailer on an idyllic tropical beach.
The happy couple’s lives are unalterably changed when Bryce Dunn (Scott Caan), Jared’s childhood friend and a successful New York attorney, comes to Jamaica with his new girlfriend Amanda Collins (Ashley Scott). Bryce acquires a beautiful mansion and a luxury yacht that the quartet puts to good use as a party boat as they free dive around the island.
The merriment takes a serious turn when Jared finds evidence of an ancient shipwreck. The four friends decide to partner as they search for enough relics to identify the old ship and claim it as their own.
Then, on a later dive, they uncover another, more ominous wreck nearby. Jared and Sam want no part of this dangerous new discovery, but Bryce and Amanda see it as a way of financing their expedition. Jared realizes the money would help him compete on the same level as the islands’ top salvagers, especially his longtime rival Derek Bates (Josh Brolin) and his assistant, Quinn (Chris Taloa).
Sam convinces Jared to abandon any plans for taking advantage of this new treasure. But Amanda and Bryce have other ideas. Sneaking out in the dead of night, the two steal some of the cargo with a scheme to profit from it, using a shady nightclub owner, Primo (Tyson Beckford), as their connection.
Bryce and Amanda have miscalculated, however, and find their lives in jeopardy unless they deliver the entire shipment to Primo. When Sam finds out, she turns to a friend and local policeman, Roy (Dwayne Adway), for help. Now, what began as a carefree treasure hunt turns into a deadly battle and Jared and Sam’s innocent world is thrown into chaos.
Continue Reading and View the Theatrical Trailer
Into the Blue (2005)
Directed by: John Stockwell
Starring: Paul Walker, Jessica Alba, Scott Caan, Ashley Scott, Josh Brolin, James Frain, Dwayne Adway, Javon Frazer, Chris Taloa, Clifford McIntosh, Gill Montie
Screenplay by: Matt Johnson
Production Design by: Maia Javan
Cinematography by: Shane Hurlbut
Film Editing by: Nicolas De Toth, Dennis Virkler
Costume Design by: Leesa Evans
Set Decoration by: Les Boothe
Art Direction by: David F. Klassen
Music by: Paul Haslinger
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of action violence, drug material, sexual content, language.
Distributed by: Columbia Pictures
Release Date: September 30, 2005
Views: 93
