Critical Review of movie 'Adrift'
Audience: movie-goers who enjoy
adventure and sporting movies
You would think that a weekend cruise
on a million dollar yacht would be a great way to spend your friends
30th birthday. Is there anything better than a group of
friends from high school reuniting to celebrate in luxury off
Mexico's coast? You'd also think that putting the embarkation ladder
down before jumping in the ocean would be second nature to a million
dollar yacht owner, wouldn't you? Well it wasn't for Dan.
After his friends jump in to cool off,
Dan picks up a fully-clothed Amy and jumps in to join the others in
the ocean, but forgets the ladder. Hence begins six friends' struggle
to get back on board the 40 foot vessel, where the baby is still
sleeping. But they are 8ft below the deck and scaling the sides of
the vessel proves impossible.
The friends will to survive is strong,
however there are obvious flaws which leave you asking many
questions. The most evident fault in this film is the cellphone Dan
wears around his neck in a water-proof pouch that goes missing but
isn't explained. It is there one minute but gone the next. There are
other aspects of this film which leave you gaping with frustration.
Two of the friends in the group are new
parents and bring their baby along. Amy had a traumatic experience
as a child and witnessed her father drown. Her new husband James is
well aware of her aquaphobia, yet when Amy dons a life jacket to walk
along the jetty, doesn't think to put one on the baby, nor offer to
carry her. Amy is obviously terrified and walks to the yacht with
trepidation gripping her baby daughter so hard it's a wonder she can
still breath. If Amy's fear of water is so strong, why not put a
lifejacket on baby? Why not let James carry baby up the narrow
gangplank?
I found myself yelling at these
character's stupidity. I was frustrated watching them strip naked and
make a rope with their boardshorts when Amy was wearing a long dress.
Upon throwing the make-shift rope up to the guardrail, it
successfully snags the cable, but instead of helping the smallest
female to scale the rope, they send the heaviest male! More questions
are unanswered: Under Amy's dress were matching lace underwear when
she was breastfeeding...not very practical, but aesthetically
pleasing for movie goers after all! Of course, like most Hollywood
movies the actors are all beautiful with slim, brown bodies. However
after treading water all day in the hot Mexican sun, they didn't end
up sunburnt. Hmm!
This movie will infuriate you: it did
me. It left me asking many times: if only...
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