MovieChat Forums > The Reef (2011) Discussion > Hands Up If Films Like This Stop You Goi...

Hands Up If Films Like This Stop You Going Swimming!

posted 13 years ago by tohu
48 replies | jump to latest

Jaws, Jaws 2, Open Water, and now The Reef. All good films - in their own different ways - and all have had an impact on me. I won't go swimming in the sea.

I know! I know! 'You're more likely to die crossing the street than get eaten by a shark.' I do know all that. So let's take all those sorts of responses as read, shall we? :)

I like to think I'm an intelligent, rational adult (39yrs old) and I understand 100% that the chances of an attack would be absolutely minute. But I am honest enough to admit it: these films have made me afraid to go in the water. I don't really like 'beach holidays' anyway, as it happens, but whenever I do go on one I'm happy to sit on the beach and watch the sea, not enter it!

Anyone else going to be honest enough to join me in this pathetically irrational confession? 8=))

_____________

"Maybe I should go alone"
- Quint, Jaws.

[–] barbarossa4188 12 years ago

I go in the water but just to splash some water on my body. I am a good swimer but, I am just afraid of the unknown and do not enjoy taking chances.

"Stalingrad. . . The fall of Stalingrad was the end of Europe. There's been a cataclysm."

[–] pinkprin_xoxo 12 years ago

I'm with ya! It creeps me out that a lot of shark attacks happen in knee deep water. Lakes and rivers freak me out too. When I was in Florida a couple years ago I kept going further in the water, and I just kept looking around and kept thinking "what if." Next time I'm there I doubt I'll go in at all!!! :( Damn these movies!!!!

You jump, I jump remember? I can't turn away without knowing you'll be alright

[–] cherry_blossoms_19 11 years ago

lol I can't even swim anyway =/

[–] RGS-3 12 years ago

Jaws freaked me out (I was a kid) to the point that I really don't like being in water--especially in the ocean (pools are fine, but even lakes make me really uncomfortable)--much higher than mid-chest, and floating around in deep water.... It's stupid, I know. This movie did nothing to help the situation :-) I knew it would be difficult to watch (why I got it ultimately, why would you get a movie like this otherwise?) and it was. Talk about bang for your buck. The part that has me practically writhing in my chair in a movie like this is when you're seeing the people from above and don't know what's going on under the water, and there was a lot of that. Seeing them underwater from a distance, not so bad.

SPOILERS (read after you watch the movie!)

Most of the movie felt "realistic" to me, only one thing stood out, the others are probably how I'd be in a situation like this (not likely, I'd go catatonic and drown). So, the less important things:

1) I'd expect the guy with the mask to spend more (a lot more!) time looking around underwater. He didn't do much of that. Even if he didn't feel a compulsion to do this, I'd think the other three people would be on his case to do it or ask him for the mask.

2) Swimming away from the group? Mmm.... Uh uh. If you need to retrieve something, do it together!

Felt wrong:

1) The likelihood of them making it though the night...come on.

So, there you go, tonyhu.

[–] bozik 12 years ago

I live in Northern Europe and I don't have oceans nearby. So *beep* sharks! :D

[–] tohu 12 years ago

Ah, but some scientists say that Great Whites are now making their way into the North Sea. Global warming!

Be afraid!!! :o]
_____________

"Maybe I should go alone"
- Quint, Jaws.

[–] janetteph 11 years ago

you wouldnt catch me in the ruddy see for anything ...

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] cirobolzani 9 years ago

This thing happened to me after Jaws. It was more than 20 years ago, but to this day I have difficulty swimming when I can't see the bottom of the ocean beneath me. A cold shiver goes down my spine everytime and in my imagination a giant shark is always on the hunt for my flesh. Through time i learned that in order to take the shark with me i would have to destroy his nose and gills, and that knowledge made me calm, but i still rather not face a shark in real life.

I was never one to hold grudges Jeffrey. My father held grudges, i'll always hate him for that.