Into The Blue

Jared Cole (Paul Walker, "2 Fast 2 Furious") is a treasure hunter whose dreams are greater than his successes. His girlfriend, Sam ("Fantastic Four's" Jessica Alba), is a shark handler at a resort. They live fairly happily together in a ramshackle trailer on a pristine beach in the Bahamas. All of which quickly goes south when Jared's old buddy, Bryce (Scott Caan) moves to town with his girlfriend, Amanda (Ashley Scott). Bryce is a rich lawyer with a mansion and a yacht, and it's not long before Jared decides that's the life for him. The opportunity arises when, while diving around the island, Jared discovers an old shipwreck that may hold valuable contents. Things get interesting when, on another dive, they find a second, more recent wreck with more contemporary treasure. Of course, the second wreck belongs to some bad people, which Jared and Sam quickly discern. Amanda and Bryce, however, are not so discerning. Toss in a shady nightclub owner/fence (Tyson Beckford) and a competing team of treasure hunters (led by Josh Brolin, who is too old for this movie) and it isn't long before Jared and Sam's world turns upside-down.

This is about as standard a collection of thriller clichés as has ever been committed to film. Still, the settings are amazing (above and below the ocean), while Paul Walker and Jessica Alba look better in bathing suits than ought to be allowed in civil society. The script by Matt Johnson ("Torque"), clichés notwithstanding, is tight and not completely incoherent, and director John Stockwell ("Blue Crush") seems to know his way around aquatic-themed material. He keeps things fast and wet, which, in a bikini thriller, is a good thing. Of course, no one in this film can actually act, but oddly, better acting wouldn't have made the movie any better; it may have even hurt it. Starring Paul Walker, Jessica Alba, Scott Caan, Ashley Scott, Josh Brolin and Tyson Beckford. Directed by John Stockwell. Written by Matt Johnson. Produced by David A. Zelon. A Columbia release. Action-Thriller. Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action, violence, drug material, some sexual content and language. Running time: 110 min