It co-stars Jean Reno, who could fart and I'd think its great!

Rating: Null/10 (20 April 2004)

The Big Blue (aka Le Grand Bleu) is a strange one.
Filmed in Europe in both English and French with American and French actors, it was well received in France but fell on its face commercially in the US. There is a FRENCH version. `Cut,' says our director Luc Besson, `OK Action, this time now in ENGLISH.' There are literally TWO versions of the same movie. Because they had this English language version in the can, along with a American female lead in Rosanna Arquette, it got a big commercial US release.
The male lead is played by Jean-Marc Barr who is a hot looking French dude who never really to made another big English language film. They dig him in France and you can see why here. It co-stars Jean Reno, who could fart and I'd think its great (Ok maybe not so great in Godzilla and Rollerball). The problem with the film is just the subject matter is goofy to ignorant Americans like me; championship free diving. What? Guys who go down in the water without scuba gear. I mean go really, really deep straight down in the water while holding their breath. Do people really do this as a sport? They do and in its way it is engaging and exciting, but odd to an American audience.
Still, the movie is beautifully shot with great music and creates an odd mix or serenity and frustration. Arquette is a fish out of water, but that's the point. Reno is obnoxious, but that's the point. Barr is more Dolphin than human, but guess what, that's the point. It is a great movie in my opinion, but how they thought this would play in Peoria is beyond comprehension. It was made during the New Wave of the 80's, but it has it roots far more in the French New Wave of the 50's. If you liked François Truffaut's The 400 Blows, you'll dig this flick.