Leaves you speechless, with a curious warmth in your heart

Rating: 10/10 (27 June 2007)

I can truly say The Big Blue has had a significant influence on my life, thus my sporadic conflicts with 21st century techno lifestyle. It made me calmer, more thoughtful, and more critical of materialism. In France the film was such a phenomenon that a whole generation of youth who saw it was renamed The Big Blue Generation. These people became more laid back and balanced in life, like it was an emotional revolution. Something that was quite the contrary of angry youths rioting on the streets in the 60s.
Jacques Mayol and Enzo Molinari are both world-class free-divers and lovers of the big blue sea. Everything they do revolves around it: they live in it, they dream with it every single day. They are like sea creatures, only without gills. They both grew up in the same Greek island but lost contact of each other after the tragic death of Jacques's father. Now, they are reunited in Taormina, Sicily to compete in the World Championships of free diving and really challenge one another. Their circles are subtly breached and stirred up by the arrival and intrusion of an American woman blindly in love with Jacques.
Luc Besson's masterpiece is both breath-taking and thought-provoking. What's more, it really inspired/-s (in its own, non-intentional way) conservationism by depicting nature's wonders as they are: beautifully and lachrymosely unique, tranquilizing and therapeutic. Had everybody seen this movie there would be no wars, but content and creative people aspiring to make this planet more cozy and livable. Or, at least, that is what I'd like to think.