The Deep is a tale of true heroism based on an astonishing real-life incident that took place in the frigid seas off the coast of Iceland in 1984.

It fashions a modern-day ‘every man’ myth around the sole survivor of a shipwreck, Gulli, a man whose superhuman will to survive will turn him into both an inexplicable scientific phenomenon and a genuine national hero. Gulli (Olafur Darri Olafsson) survived five hours in the freezing ocean. Yes, five hours. If you’re not aware, most people can only last a few minutes in the glacial ocean, with some able to endure ten or fifteen minutes max. Kormákur looked into filming these scenes in a tank, but he decided that this artificial sea would be unconvincing to Icelandic viewers, so they shot on location and the scenes deliver.

According to Kormákur, there was no CGI used in the dramatic scene in which Gulli swims for several hours across frigid, dark, open waters, until reaching shore after overcoming back breaking waves and deadly rocks. Surely, these scenes must have been a nightmare to shoot. The first half of the film features many impressive, realistic scenes at sea that rival the best work of James Cameron (The Abyss) and Ang Lee (Life of Pie). The visuals lose steam once the action shifts to shore and the hero faces the consequences of staying alive.

The Deep had its World premiere at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival and was shortlisted in the 85th Academy Awards Best Foreign-language film category. The film swept the Edda Awards, Iceland’s national film prize, picking up a record breaking 11 awards including Best Film, Best Director and Best Lead Actor. This Icelandic-language film picked up strong reviews on the festival rounds.

Baltasar Kormákur may not be a household name yet but he may soon become one. Kormákur is the director of Contraband starring Mark Wahlberg, which topped the domestic box office January 2013. His next film 2 Guns, an action-thriller is in theaters now, starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg.

Due to the success of The Deep in Iceland it’s clear that this film struck a chord with the people of Iceland. It is a testament to the real individual Guðlaugur Friðþórsson and to the power of the human will under adversity. To me it is a mandatory viewing for anyone who loves a good story, films with such realism they seem like documentaries and tales of true heroism.

Christophe Chanel