8/10
Film Geeks, Enthusiasts & Creatives Who Understand Movie Making... READ ON!!
12 November 2023
I apologize if this review is a bit longer than I would even want to read, but there are a few aspects of this film that must be mentioned.

To start, for film geeks & creatives, this film is well shot from a cinematic standpoint and exemplifies up and comer director John Barr's cinematic background experience on large budget films. The tropical surroundings are a stark contrast to the woodsy winter haven of Barr's first film, Blood and Money starring Tom Berenger (which is another film accomplishment worth watching).

Second, the untimely passing of co-star Ray Liotta during filming in the Dominican Republic required last minute adjustments which resulted in a powerful (and psychopathic) short presence of Liotta whose performance reminded me of Brando's, Captain Kurt in Apocalypse Now.

Liotta's acting simply affects your pulse rate as you see him glaze over into the sociopath, The Captain, truly is!

The 7-8 short minutes are a testament to Liotta's acting ability & range!

Third, Eric Dane also transforms from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde in real time which was fun to watch (sorry for lack of spoiler alert).

The film waves slowly through an innocent boat trip into a intense cat and mouse thriller resembling the stark transition from the light hearted wedding scene in The Deer Hunter to the full fledge bloodied war scenes in Vietnam.

The film paces very well with Odeya Rush (Rose) leading the journey (which also makes this a fun film for the ladies).

The performances are solid across the board and casted well to absorb this tense and VERY dark story line.

It is only a matter of time when Barr will have the flexibility to shoot a movie with the budget as around the budget and it's impressive to watch Barr's movie making skills produce a film of this stature while managing the unfortunate loss of Ray Liotta during the shoot (I also read this was shot during COVID restrictions.... if movie making not hard enough....)

With the holidays around the corner and you are looking to be entertained for a few hours, grab a Irish Coffee for Blood and Money and a Pina Colada for Dangerous Waters and you are sure to fill a evening with two VERY contrasting movie experiences that has something to offer everyone watching (neither films are kid appropriate).

Enjoy.... I did!!!

PLEASE NOTE: For those who only know how to watch a movie and do not understand or appreciate all aspects of the craft... this may not be your cup of tea and another big budget Spiderman movie is surely around the corner for you to enjoy.

This is a solid 7 w/ 1 point granted to the tenacity to overcome the obstacles presented on this shoot and the enjoyable final product!

RIP- Ray Liotta.
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