cinemajesty Movie Review: "Le grand bleu" (1988)Being the opening film of the Cannes Film Festival on May 11th 1988 in its 41st edition, young, talented and promising director Luc Besson, not yet 30 years of age, already coming to full flourishment in proper exercised cinematic language in color, camera motion and acting beats with fellow casting members Jean-Marc Barr, Jean Reno and Rosanna Arquette struggling within the element of water to find purpose in life, concerning deeper and deeper pushed limits in open water free diving challenges, when suspense works to hyper-realistic conclusions beyond the usual love theme under an hypnotic soundtrack by exceptional composer Eric Serra alongside Besson's directions of utmost passion for his source material felt in every scene of the motion picture.Copyright 2018 Cinemajesty Entertainments LLC

jeff light A lot of people seem to rave about the film because they felt emotionally affected by it. I got recommendations to watch this from so many people. And yet when I asked them what it's about, not 1 could tell me. Well, I'll tell you. Essentially, it's the story of two childhood friends who grow up by the sea and develop an obsession with it. Unable to connect with real people, they become world-champion free divers, and the film is basically about them competing for the world record.This could be an intense, beautifully shot film, but it ends up being long, meandering, and nonsensical. I thought Jean Reno was great in it, as I've known some Italians like him. However, the other characters were completely unbelievable to me, and the story was...well, kind of retarded.Without spoilers, I will say there are several deaths in the film that are ridiculous and completely avoidable, at least from the way Besson shows them, they are.The character choices are also ridiculous, with women reduced to broad, sexist stereotypes of becoming easily obsessed with commitment and children, and chasing men with little or no reason.There are a whole lot of beautiful shots of dolphins and ocean locales, but if you want to see that, you can watch the Discovery Channel or "Planet Earth", no need to make a 3 hour excuse for a story.In the end, I can't possibly recommend anyone waste their time on this. There are so many better films for nearly any way you could look at it...romance, story, acting, atmosphere, etc.

Chrysanthepop 'Le Grand Bleu' is unlike any Luc Besson film I've ever seen and what a movie it is! It's also one of the most difficult movies to define with a few words. For one thing, the trailer is misleading as it gives the interpretation that this is going to be some underwater adventurous horror flick which this movie definitely isn't. It's also one of the hardest movies to categorize because what is it really? A love story? Yes but certainly not the typical boy meets girl kind. The love story here is between a man and a woman who gave up everything for the sake of love, between two friends, between a man and his only family whose picture he carries in his wallet, between man and the sea and it continues. Is it a thriller? It has elements of a thriller but not the kind with jumps and silly twists. The viewer is so engaged and involved in the characters' lives that you simply are left with little choice but to follow them. Is it an adventure movie? Yes, definitely but it's not another James Bond or Indiana Jones, you'll see why. It has a few elements of science fiction. I could go on and on but as my time is limited at the moment, I'll continue with the technical aspects.'Le Grand Bleu' is a character driven, story driven and atmospheric piece. Besson's direction and writing are exceptionally remarkable.I saw the extended version which is about a good two hours and forty minutes but not for a single moment was I bored. It just flows beautifully. The visuals are mesmerizing (thanks to the superb cinematography, art direction, locations and lighting), the atmosphere is captivating and the score is wonderful.The characters are excellently defined. The title role is stunningly portrayed as being seductive, mysterious, alluring, limitless and above all, free. All the actors do a commendable job. Every actor who is given a speaking part (including the dolphins) does full justice to their character. The three leads, Jean-Marc Barr, Jean Reno and Rosanna Arquette are outstanding.There's passion, romance, adventure, freedom but above all 'Le Grand Bleu' is about love. It has a very laidback and calming feel to it and I would suggest to make yourself comfortable and watch this on a big screen television with great sound system and prepare yourself to experience something cinematically extraordinary.

dan poole Wow! The reviews really do vary here and I notice that the best reviews seem to start at the beginning of this thread, the worse at the end. This explains a lot, and having watched yesterday what is one of my favourite films, I think I can answer why: for someone watching this film today, you'll find that the acting (particularly Arquette's shocking performance) is over the top and dated. It's a shame that this film has not lasted as well as it could have with a better female lead (however you could say it was down to bad directing). Anyway, that's the bad part.The good part is that this is a special film, in places it's very moving and anyone with a connection to the sea will immediately understand this film, and where the director is taking us. I myself grew up as a child on a Greek Island and spent every day of my childhood diving and fishing - each time I watch this film it takes me back to a special time and place and I can relate to the two main characters.If you're looking for a fast-paced action or comedy then this isn't for you. If you want to shut yourself off from the world, and immerse yourself in an underwater paradise with a touching and humorous storyline then you'll love it.The beginning part of the film is shot on the small Greek Island of Amorgos. It's a stunning Island and if you ever visit you can go to the Monastery built into the mountain, visit the shipwreck and there's also a small bar called 'The Big Blue' which also plays this film EVERY night!