Director: Kevin Macdonald
Writer: Dennis Kelly (Screenplay)
Starring: Jude Law, Scoot McNairy, Ben Mendelsohn, Jodie Whittaker, David Threlfell
Plot: In order to make good with his former employers, a submarine captain takes a job with a shadowy backer to search the depths of the Black Sea for a submarine rumored to be loaded with gold.
There may be spoilers the rest of the review
Verdict: Slow Burner Thriller
Story: Black Sea starts as submarine pilot Robinson (Law) is being made redundant by the company he has worked years for. Turning to his friends Robinson gets given the chance to go on a job after a sunken submarine. The investor is Lewis (Menzies) and the team includes his assistant Daniels (McNairy) and diver Fraser (Mendelsohn) with a mix of Scottish and Russian members.
With the submarine up for the adventure the crew of down on their luck sailors set out to claim their fortune that is up to $40 Million. The dangers they have to overcome include Russian submarine destroyers but the deadliest danger comes from with the submarine itself as greed starts to consume the crew members.
Black Sea gives us the old adventure thriller where no one is safe when it comes to the greed of man, we have to deal with the whole tension between the ranks. The idea of buried treasure works well because who doesn’t like a good treasure hunt? Having most of the crew of the mission being down on their luck desperate men also really helps this story because we know this could be their last chance to make that money the world doesn’t offer them anymore. In conclusion this is an interesting but slightly too slow for my liking thriller that you can read the outcome from a long way out.
Actor Review
Jude Law: Robinson is the expert submarine pilot who finds himself out of a job, given a lifeline of a daring treasure hunt he must lead a crew of men in the Black Sea as they search for a fallen submarine. When tensions rise he must make the big calls throughout the mission but the reward is worth all the risks. Jude does a solid job but never reaches the levels he could require.
Scoot McNairy: Daniels is the assistant to the man funding the expedition that gets set on it with the experienced sailors. He gets claustrophobic which adds the panic filled character needed for the mission. Scoot does well in this supporting role in the business man role which he does well.
Ben Mendelsohn: Fraser is the expert diver on the crew, he has never lost a man on a dive but has to get involved in the most crucial part of the mission transporting the gold between the submarines. Ben is good but I would have liked to have seen more about.
Support Cast: Black Sea has a supporting cast that are mostly all on the submarine that all help with where the story ends up going.
Director Review: Kevin Macdonald – Kevin does give us a thriller that just doesn’t get enough out of the story.
Adventure: Black Sea gives us the potential of adventure but quickly loses that with the serious side to the characters.
Thriller: Black Sea does give us a thrilling side to the story just doesn’t reach all the potential.
Settings: Black Sea does keep nearly all the action on the submarine which does work.
Special Effects: Black Sea keeps everything special effects wise simple and only used when needed.
Suggestion: Black Sea is one to try but really isn’t one that truly reaches all the levels it could. (Try It)
Best Part: The Gold transfer.
Worst Part: Very slow.
Believability: No
Chances of Tears: No
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Runtime: 1 Hour 54 Minutes
Tagline: The only thing more dangerous than the mission is the crew.
Trivia: Jude law spent 3 days on a British submarine to prepare for his role.
Overall: A potentially great thriller that just doesn’t reach the levels it could.
Rating
