In the South China Sea, the Argonautica, a luxury cruise ship, is enjoying its maiden voyage, with owner Simon (Anthony Heald) welcoming the rich and powerful to a major party in the middle of the ocean. Racing to the ship is John (Treat Williams), a captain-for-hire who's unsure about the pack of mercenaries he's working with, led by Hanover (Wes Studi), who are planning something nefarious for the Argonautica, unsettling crew member Joey (Kevin J. O'Connor). Approaching the ship, it becomes clear the mercenaries are intending to rob the passengers and blow up the Argonautica, putting John in a difficult position of compliance without proper weaponry. However, the mission is disrupted by the arrival of a tentacled creature from the depths of ocean, and one that feeds on humans, using its pliable body and sea-based instinct to find victims, devouring everything it can find. Joined by pickpocket Trillian (Famke Janssen), John and Joey search for a way off the ship, trying to return to their damaged boat and get away from an unstoppable creature.
1998's "Deep Rising" didn't have an easy time finding an audience during its initial theatrical release. It came out a year after "The Relic" (which delivered a similar monster-in-a-contained-area premise), a month after "Titanic" (which satiated audiences hungry to see a massive ship endure a slow destruction), and two weeks after "Hard Rain" (which also enjoyed some Jet Ski action in tight hallways). The planets didn't align for writer/director Stephen Sommers, but this noisy ode to B-movies of the past eventually found something of a following on home video and basic cable, and it's not hard to see why, with the helmer arranging plenty of mayhem, quips, and gore to delight those in the mood for something violent but cheeky. Though the true comedic value of "Deep Rising" is up for debate.
1998's "Deep Rising" didn't have an easy time finding an audience during its initial theatrical release. It came out a year after "The Relic" (which delivered a similar monster-in-a-contained-area premise), a month after "Titanic" (which satiated audiences hungry to see a massive ship endure a slow destruction), and two weeks after "Hard Rain" (which also enjoyed some Jet Ski action in tight hallways). The planets didn't align for writer/director Stephen Sommers, but this noisy ode to B-movies of the past eventually found something of a following on home video and basic cable, and it's not hard to see why, with the helmer arranging plenty of mayhem, quips, and gore to delight those in the mood for something violent but cheeky. Though the true comedic value of "Deep Rising" is up for debate.