Movie Review: Surface

Coming to DVD tomorrow (September 1, 2015) is the thriller Surface.

Surface stars Sean Astin and Chris Mulkey. Mimi Rogers also has a small role in this film.

Mitch (Astin) doesn’t seem to be very happy. He has a “down and out” look about him. Viewers can see that his mother has dementia, and that must weigh heavily on him, but there must be more going on behind the scenes (which will be explored later on in the film).

After Mitch visits his mom in the nursing home he goes to his family home and takes out their boat on to Lake Michigan (Lake Michigan is HUGE!).

Viewers don’t really know why he’s on the boat. Is he clearing his mind? Does he enjoy boating? Is he plotting to jump into the water and kill himself? We don’t really know.

Mitch’s boat collides with some debris in the water and becomes disabled. I appears to be debris from a plane crash. It is evident that a small plane had crashed into the lake.

Among the fuselage Mitch finds a body. The man is still alive. Mitch drags his body into the boat to save him from slipping into the water and drowning.

One might think finding out someone rescued you would make you happy and appreciative. Not this man (who we later find out is named Kelly). It’s as if Kelly is angry with Mitch for saving him. But why?

Kelly has a small bad with him and he’s cautious of Mitch and doesn’t want him near that bag – to the point where Kelly gets very volatile toward Mitch.

Now both men as stuck in the middle of Lake Michigan with no way to call for help.

What is in the bag Kelly is so fiercely protecting? Who will rescue them – or do they even want to be rescued? To find out pick up a copy of Surface, available tomorrow where ever movies are sold.

This film is primarily just Astin and Mulkey. There are a few others who appear here and there, but none of them have a major role. The two men carry this whole film.

I didn’t know what to make of this film. I was always expecting something was going to happen suddenly. It’s not an “edge of your seat” type of film, but is always kept me guessing if something was going to happen out of the blue. After all, you have two strangers trapped on a boat in the middle of no where with no one to help them.

This film sort of reminded me of that Nicole Kidman film, Dead Calm, where they encounter a disabled boat in the middle of the ocean, but there was more to the surviving passenger’s story than he lead on. It also reminds me of The Life of Pi where Pi was adrift all alone on a boat with a hungry lion.

Surface is entertaining, but not in an action packed sort of way. It can be a little slow at times but you over look that thinking that something exciting WILL eventually happen.

I tried imagining myself in the same situation as I watched the film (being stranded on a boat in the middle of no where). I think that also lends it’s self to the thriller aspect – as in “What would YOU do” if you were in the same situation.

Below is the trailer for your entertainment.

Kimberly

*I received a free screener copy in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.

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