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# ‘Blue’ heaven: Divers down and looking good
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/blue-heaven-divers-down-and-looking-good/
- Published: 2005-09-30T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T07:50:25.000Z
- Author: Dan Dunn
- Tags: Events, Santa Monica, #archive-import

You think spending two hours watching a group of hot-bodied young stars with suspect acting ability parade around nearly naked in the Bahamas sounds like fun? Yeah, me too! Jessica Alba, Paul Walker, Ashley Scott and Scott Caan let it all hang out (or, at least, most of it) in this undeniably entertaining update of the 1977 ocean-bound thriller, “The Deep.” Those old enough to recall the worldwide libidinal jolt Jacqueline Bisset produced with her wet-tee turn in the original surely will appreciate Alba’s equally arousing performance. So will almost anyone else. But go beyond skin depth and you’ll find that the real scene-stealer in “Into the Blue” is Caan, who displays a knack for comedy that is as solid as his abs.

Jared Cole (Walker) is a dive bum and part-time treasure hunter who dreams of finding priceless booty in the sea. He’s already found it on land in gal-pal Sam (Alba), a shark handler at a local resort who doesn’t care how little dough poor Jared has — she loves him just the way he is. A guy should be so lucky, right? Jared’s happy-go-lucky buddy Bryce (Caan) arrives with a promiscuous babe, Amanda (Scott), who he met just hours before. They head out to sea on a free diving expedition, and before you can say “schwiiiiing!” find evidence of an ancient shipwreck alongside a recently downed cargo plane full of cocaine. Again, a guy should be so lucky. Jared and Sam want no part of the drugs, but Bryce and Amanda see it as a way to get the dough they’ll need to salvage the treasure, which they estimate could be worth hundreds of millions. Bad guys lurk everywhere, from Tyson Beckford’s shady nightclub owner to Josh Brolin’s ruthless treasure hunter.

Our young protagonists clearly are headed for troubled water and director John Stockwell (“Blue Crush,” “Crazy/Beautiful”) leads them there competently, working off a tight script by Matt Johnson (“Torque”). The action is gripping, the underwater sequences eye-pop-ping, the scenery Alba-lightful. Getting into this one won’t leave you feeling blue. (Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action violence, drug material, some sexual content and language. Running time: 110 minutes)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 30, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/093005.pdf?ref=smdp.com)