THE DEEP isn't an amazing film but it is a heartfelt and compelling one that tells an amazing true story. It's also one of those outdoor 'wilderness' type films that explores man's survival against the elements, and it has the novelty of being an Icelandic film too.The story takes place in 1984 and tells of a group of fishermen being flung into the freezing Atlantic when their fishing boat sinks. One of the men decides to swim for land and the film tells his difficult tale with death and danger dogging his every stroke. The narrative involvement is slim, but the film offers fascinating visuals that truly get across the sublime nature of the frozen north.Olafur Darri Olafsson (BEOWULF & GRENDEL) is excellent in the leading role and gives a truly naturalistic performance. The latter part of the film almost moves into X-Files territory but retains the realism throughout. Director Baltasar Kormakur seems to spend his time either making movies in his own country or popping over to Hollywood for the likes of 2 GUNS and CONTRABAND, but this is definitely the most interesting - and oddly enchanting - film I've seen from him.

Not to be confused with the Peter Benchley-inspired Hollywood film of the same name, THE DEEP is one of those tales which through a combination of brilliant photography and taut structure is guaranteed to attract critical plaudits.Shot in a series of grays and blues, appropriate to its locations, Bergsteinn Björgúlfsson's cinematography conjures up a world where human beings are quite literally at the mercy of the elements: despite their sophisticated devices for communicating or for carrying out their daily responsibilities, they have no answer to the power of the sea. We realize from this film that humankind is no more than a pawn in a greater elemental game.Having said that, I am still unsure as to whether the film has anything more to say. At heart it's a masculine-focused tale of comradeship, in a profession where people have few friends, due to the precariousness of their work. They never know if and whether they will return; and if they do, there is no guarantee of future work. Buffeted by the sea and by the pressures of making a living, the fishermen inhabit their own world; they try to keep memories of their home lives through letters - or even taking a dog with them - but these mementos are insignificant in comparison to the rigors of their profession.In its downbeat way, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson's central characterization is certainly memorable, but we end up feeling sorry that he and his fellow fishermen have to put their lives so regularly on the line just to make ends meet.

This film has the air of a docu-drama, and I believe it sticks closely to real events. The drama is gripping though - it's an amazing story of survival and the gruelling ordeal which the fisherman Gulli went through in the North Atlantic. Amazingly, it was almost light-hearted and there is no lack of humour although it was a tragic story as well. I was wondering in advance whether this would be a frightening film, but it wasn't. Every person portrayed appeared real and it was easy to identify with them. The story of Gulli's miraculous survival, followed by the reaction of the media and scientists kept my interest. I'm a scientist and so I was fascinated by the implications of the physiology of this man and how he adapted to extreme exposure to cold temperatures. I presume that other people who find sub-zero temperatures easy to deal with may also have adaptations, and science needs to find out more. No one can know how they will react until they are in a life or death situation. Gulli's matter-of-fact response was incredible.The other thing which impressed me was the authenticity of the settings, the scenery of the sea and the Icelandic islands. It was beautifully shot. Authentic news footage of the eruption of the volcano on the Westman Islands was included, and new scenes with the actors blended seamlessly with that. I have been to Iceland and watched films about that eruption, so I recognised this. I've also walked on a lava field on Iceland, but I was fortunate to be wearing walking boots. I can't imagine walking on that surface barefoot for hours.I was captivated by this film and I recommend it - very inspiring and informative on so many levels.

The Review: Based on a true story, The Deep is a very simple, but incredibly moving film. There's nothing really out of the ordinary when it comes to Gulli. He's a chain smoking, hard working man, who lives a rather uneventful life with his friends. It's this seemingly tedious lifestyle that makes the tragic ship accident so much more powerful. When Gulli does his best to rescue his friends, and eventually is left in the ocean alone, it's his rather normal life that shows what a regular person can be capable of to survive.Audiences don't just watch Gulli bobbing around in the ocean for the entire film, although it certainly creates some of the most tense scenes of the movie. When Gulli finally finds his way home, this is where the real challenges start to appear. Hailed as a hero for what Gulli views simply as trying to stay alive, he quickly becomes a science oddity. One scientist convinces Gulli to basically be studied in an attempt to find out how he survived. At first, Gulli almost seems excited to be considered different, but he quickly realizes that it's not important how he survived, only that he did and his friends didn't.When Gulli finally returns to his home, the film becomes intensely emotional. While out in the ocean, Gulli made a number of promises, reasoning with God to give him just one more day. He begins to make good on those promises, and it's impossible to not become teary eyed. When Gulli visits the home of one of his friends who died on the boat, and consoles his wife and children, you'd be better off bringing some tissue with you to stop the waterworks. It's an amazing performance from Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Gulli, and a stunning film from director Baltasar Kormákur.This will stay with you for sometime after viewing.For More Check out www.thefilmpodcast.co.uk