Steineded How sad is this?

Rio Hayward All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Donald Seymour This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Billy Ollie Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

TheLittleSongbird When one sees that a film is directed by Luc Besson, has music by Eric Serra and that it has Jean Reno, it is hard not to expect a lot. 'The Big Blue' meets the high expectations, if just falling short of exceeding them, while it is a very divisive film and it's not one of my favourites it is a beautiful film and really quite stunning at its best.'The Big Blue' does fare better in the friendship than the love story. The love story has some sweet and touching moments but it is on the shallow and sketchy side. This would have been made better if more thought was put into Rosanna Arquette's character, if she was made more endearing and that she was better developed. Instead the character felt almost like an afterthought at first and Arquette didn't do much for me sadly.Regarding 'The Big Blue's' story, it generally, while full of enough things to make the film worth sticking with, is a bit thin for such a long length.However, the friendship has a lot of charm and warmth, with sprinkles of humour and nostalgia. Besson's direction often is masterly, with an amazing eye for style and visual beauty and he really does bring out the best of his actors. Excluding Arquette, which was largely actually because of the way the character was written (people may be tired of hearing this as an excuse when actors/actresses give not so good performances when working with not so well written characters but actually to me it is a valid one), the acting is very good. The obvious standout is a superb and often very funny Jean Reno, but handsome Jean-Marc Barr also shows why he was deserving of a bigger career.Eric Serra's music score is a big asset, soothing, understated and hauntingly hypnotic. There is a good deal of charm, also humour and poignancy in the writing.Best of all when it comes to 'The Big Blue' is the cinematography and the underwater scenes. The scenery is also exquisite. There are many visually beautiful films out there, beautiful doesn't do the sensational cinematography justice. Haven't seen a film with cinematography this good in a while and while Besson's films are all very well made 'The Big Blue' is a very strong contender for his best-looking film. The film to me contains the finest underwater sequences in film, poetic and tear-jerking and the ocean has rarely looked so magnificent and it was clear the camera was in love with it. One moment particularly stands out, the first plunge into the mysterious blackness is simply cinema at its most magical.In summary, while it didn't quite blow me away 'The Big Blue' is an incredibly well done film. 8/10 Bethany Cox

pmcbraz As said before, it's the Movie of a Lifetime! When years ago I discovered that Jean Reno was French and not Italian I really didn't wanted to believe! I challenge anyone to see Enzo's character and to remember that he is seeing a French actor behind that absolutely unforgettable composition. And if we join the fact that we know that the actor before making this film didn't particularly liked water (he was drowning in the filming and everything), all his work still seems more surprising because for a moment we no longer believe that this man... will not have spent his whole life under water. Jean Reno was one of those castings absolutely brilliant and defining a movie. This is one of those films where we completely forget that we are seeing actors. All the characters are so complex that in their apparent simplicity they make us forget that we are seeing a story of fiction and immerse ourselves in their universe, without questioning for seconds the real existence of those people. Especially the Italian Enzo that is to be seen to believe and defies any description because it is one of the most unforgettable characters of all time. Very well-characterized humanely and with a hilarious chemistry with his "brother" screen, "Roberto" (the actor Marc Duret) that is the perfect counterpoint for Enzo and both seem Italian gems that we do not even question for a second, When we already know that the actors are French). But this without disrespect to Rosanna Arquette or Jean Marc Barr who are absolutely brilliant as Joanna and Jacques Mayol in the way they give life to those two people who could be anyone we met on a beach near us. Jacques Mayol is the soul of the movie and we do not even have to say anything else. Joanna will probably be the best romantic female character of the 80'When years ago I discovered that Jean Reno was French and not Italian nor wanted to believe! I challenge anyone to see Enzo's character and to remember that he is seeing a French actor behind that absolutely unforgettable composition. And if we join the fact that we know that the actor before making this film nor particularly liked water (he was drowning in the filming and everything), all his work still seems more surprising because for a moment we no longer believe that this man You will not have spent your whole life under water. Jean Reno was one of those castings absolutely brilliant and defining a movie. This is one of those films where we completely forget that we are seeing actors. All the characters are so complex that in their apparent simplicity they make us forget that we are seeing a story of fiction and immerse ourselves in their universe without questioning for seconds the real existence of those people. Especially the Italian Enzo that is to be seen to believe and defies any description because it is one of the most unforgettable characters of all time. Very well-characterized humanely and with a hilarious chemistry with his "brother" screen, "Roberto" (the actor Marc Duret) that is the perfect counterpoint for Enzo and both seem Italian gems that we do not even question for a second, When we already know that the actors are French). This is without no disrespect to Rosanna Arquette or Jean Marc Barr who are absolutely brilliant as Joanna and Jacques Mayol in the way they give life to those two people who could be anyone we met on a beach near us. Jacques Mayol is the soul of the movie and we do not even have to say anything else. Joanna will probably be the best romantic female character of the 80's, precisely because neither it was imposed. the simplicity of the composition of the actress, humanized her to a point that we also completely forget the interpretation behind her work on screen. It's a must watch! And Please don't even thin seeing the American trailer, it doesn't make any sense on so ever about the true essence of history and poetry of this Film.

Bob Shank One of the most haunting and beautifully constructed films I've ever seen. Unique in theme, unusual in story, masterfully photographed, compelling in content - and with a gorgeous, dreamy musical score by Bill Conti in the 'short'-version USA release (owning, and having seen both releases, I much prefer the 'short' one). In my viewing of both versions, the 'long' one stutters and stammers, becomes much too complicated, and misses the poignancy of emotion directly attached to this film - which is the essence of its beauty. A film unlike any you've seen in content, viewers are compelled to attempt to put together the 'theme' from the outset…? The first clues come in black and white at the film's beginning as we realize the slight French boy and the burly Italian kid are heart-friends - yet rivals at a distance. The scene is set, and now we can't wait to experience their reunion (and a hint at the plot!) years later, as they meet each other from vastly different venues within the same dangerous sport of free diving. How many of you even realized there was such an extreme sport as 'Competitive Apnea', http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_diving, when you first viewed this film?…and more, that it is world-class?? I'll wager the vast majority of you hadn't a clue. And yet I see the many reviews as if it were 'extreme skate-boarding'(!) Here's a shiny Euro in the harbor, buy yourself a life with it - if you can hold your breath that long. This is a glorious movie. See 'both' versions - then, be honest with yourself. Luc Besson is not to be toyed with… ~Bob Shank, Tucson, AZ (and, yes, I dive - in the Sea of Cortez, Baja California - 4 hours away)

sue4232956 At first, the reason why I chose to watch this film was the beautiful movie poster that was portrayed like a commercial advertisement about the sea made by a travel agency. No wonder the poster was nominated as a Best Poster Award at the Cesar Awards France in 1989.Luc Besson is a great director. In this film he didn't disappoint me at all. He became a household name in the same year. This story is based on his childhood dream. Due to his parents who worked as diving instructors, he dreamed of being a dolphin trainer. He grew up near the shore of the Mediterranean. This experience affected the movie a lot and made the unbelievable atmosphere. In the last scene with a dolphin, he put an extraordinary visual element into the movie. And also the soundtrack is one of the wonderful aspects in this movie.The music deserved to get a Cesar Award as a best sound in 1989.Johana (Rosanna Arquette), Jacques (Jean-Mark Barr), Enjo (Jean Reno) are the 3 main characters who conflict emotions with each other and lead the story to the end. The dolphins and the ocean are also the main elements to understand Jacques who is going through mental problem caused by his father's death. He looks lonesome but composed. He needs friends to share his dreams and worries with, but once somebody gets close to him, he runs away from them and goes to the water and dolphins. He doesn't seem to know how to get along with people. On the contrast dolphins look like his sole friends. Jacques and Enjo are childhood friends but also rivals in many ways. If Enjo devotes all his energies to diving so as to access to success and glory, the sea is more than this for Jacques. He was born with it, and the sea will lead him to death. When his rival Enjo dies at the competition, he is in agony and sends him to the sea where he loves. The ocean means all this to Jacques. I'm scared to be in the dark like in the deep dark ocean, but Jacques looks very comfortable and happy with dolphins under the deep dark ocean. The calm and peaceful music makes the scenes under the water astonishing. Music and his move with dolphins make a good combination. Johana is quite logical and sensible as a magazine reporter but she is getting emotional and feels sorry for Jacques. That makes her hard to concentrate on her job about the divers. But she can't help it but falls in love with him.If you're a big fan of Hollywood theatrical releases, you might not love it with no action, no chases, no dangerous cliffhangers, no guns and no explosions. It doesn't even has bad guys. It's more than a love story, or a friendship. You'll be happy when Jacques and Johanna finally love each other, you feel how the ocean is beautiful and peaceful when Jacques dives with the dolphins and you'll cry with Johanna when he doesn't come back. And yes, for him, it's the best of endings, because he doesn't belong here, he really belongs more to the sea than to us.This film is quite different from Hollywood movies, but there are some aspects to attract us to watch more than once. You can think about your life, love and family. It'll help you understand other European movies also.