MovieChat Forums > The Reef (2011) Discussion > 'Maybe we should wait' {spoilers}

'Maybe we should wait' {spoilers}

posted 14 years ago by puirt-a-beul
10 replies | jump to latest

Out of curiosity, I've just rewatched this, and I worked out what was nagging me about the story the first time round. I'd like to hear other people's opinions on this, please:

The boat capsizes. Luke's convinced that it's going to sink fairly quickly, and that making a risky (at best) swim for an island that's "somewhere out there" is their best course of action. They have one EPIRB device, that presumably they're counting on to attract rescue.

So they leave Warren on the capsized hull, *with* the EPIRB? If Luke is so sure (no-one else seems to have an opinion, including Warren) that the boat is going to sink, and presumably anyone who stays with it will drown, then why leave the EPIRB there? What sense does that make?

And what if the boat doesn't sink? Wouldn't it make sense to stay with the boat for a while -- where at least they're not getting exhausted and dehydrated in the water, and will be far easier for any rescue plane to spot than as just little dots in a wide ocean -- and if it does sink, try the swim to the island then?

And as for the ending, how did Kate ever get rescued? No-one knew where they were, and Warren had the EPIRB -- how would they ever spot her on that little blob of rock?

I can think of things they could have said or depicted as answers, both pro and con, to all these questions, but they didn't. This is probably one of those screenplays that could have benefited from a bit more development time, a couple more rewrites, before they actually filmed it.

You might very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment.

[–] tohu 14 years ago

Hi. The reason why they didn't stay on the boat was because there was a current. The boat was drifting further away from land all the time, so if they stayed and it did sink then by the time they started swimming they would have had miles further to swim. Also, staying on the boat would have dehydrated them as well. Not as much as being in the water perhaps, but still quite a lot as they would have been unprotected under the sun. So basically they figured that time was a factor: Better to swim a shorter distance while still fairly strong than wait till it sinks and swim a longer distance while weakened. This is all covered in the conversation on the boat.

Also, Warren does express an opinion about the boat sinking: he says 'it mightn't sink'. But there's a general acceptance that Luke knows more about these things than any of them, because it's his job.

Your other questions are all fair enough though. I think they did make some 'odd' decisions. But then, none of us can be sure how we would react in that sort of situation.

I really like this film. Its not perfect but theres something about it that makes it stick in my head. Having watched it lots of times now, I detect a sense (which I hadn't picked up on the first couple of times I saw it) that Luke basically knows they are screwed as soon as the boat sinks. He just thought there BEST chance was to make a swim for it while they could, but he knew that it was a very slim chance, and basically he knew what was going to happen sooner or later. But he also knew that someone had to take charge.

_____________

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

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] puirt-a-beul 13 years ago

Being out in the middle of the ocean, the sun would've cooked you.

But that happens when you're swimming, as well. Out on the water, people get burned more from the reflection of UV rays from the surface of the water around them, than that coming directly from the sun above them.

You might very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] puirt-a-beul 13 years ago

You're more likely to get burned alive sitting on the boat.

"Burnt alive"? Do you mean like heat-stroke? No, hypothermia, dehydration and loss of elctrolytes from being in the sea-water would take you out quicker.

But I still don't understand how they expected to get rescued without the EPIRB. And how Kate did get rescued, in fact, from a little rocky outcrop, with no way to attract attention, and no-one to know she was there. I guess we have to take it as that's just what happened, but it still made me go "huh?", and made for an unsatisfying ending.

You might very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] roses888 13 years ago

I think Suzie and Kate along with Warren should of stayed on the boat and Matt and Luke should of swam for it. They were stronger swimmers, Suzie and Kate slowed them down in the water. Plus, Suzie was a pain in the ass!
I also think they should of really swam, they were just floating and treading water which was taking way too long. Like Luke said earlier, it should take 3 hours, not 24 hours+! They definately were in there all day plus overnight and then some!
Also, there was plenty of other supplies like food, water, weapons and sun protection that was under the over turned boat. The guys should of swam under the boat and got as many supplies as they could - not just the swim gear. They could of lasted longer on the boat if they had to, with these extra supplies. The longer they waited the more the supplies will sink to the bottom of the ocean's floor, too deep to get.
Perhaps the little boat they went snorkeling with could of been patched (with found supplies) and Luke and Matt could of used that to get to the island much faster and more importantly out of the water where the shark couldn't smell them.
What was the signifagance of the huge dead and decaying sea turtle? Were we too believe that the shark killed it?
And where was this supposed island? They were in the water for hours and never even spotted it in the distance! How did Luke miscalculate this?
Warren was supposed to be an experienced fisherman who "knew these waters well" then why the heck was the yaght in shallow water with reefs to begin with? That's what tore the bottom of the boat up and turned it over!! How stupid!! That didn't make much sense to me. And he seemed pretty useless for a fisherman who practically lives on a boat! He had no other ideas or strategies for his passengers? Nothing to radio for help but that old outdated yellow thing? He was less help than the women!

[–] screwluce48 13 years ago

What I want to know is why did Luke not use the knife in the bag to gouge the sharks eye?! Everyone knows that's what they tell you to do!

[–] bill9340 13 years ago

Here is the actual story, it is different in number of people, genders, etc., but if you read it you will see the ending you have under spoilers actually did happen. http://www.couriermail.com.au/entertainment/film-reopens-painful-memories-for-shark-attack-victim/story-e6freqex-1226020395592

"Those goofy bastards are just about the best thing I’ve got goin’ in this crazy world."

[–] rich-106 13 years ago

I checked into some of this after watching the movie.
1.The boat was going to sink for sure. It did so in the actual event this is based on.
2.The reef they were swimming to was a well-known tourist attraction, Lodestone reef and close to a large island. So they would likely have been found there.
3.The EPRIB was cumbersome to swim with and if they reached the reef they wouldn't need it that much and if the EPRIB found Warren then he could alert authorities to the swimmers.
Its not a perfect explanation and I wish the movie has gone into more detail but I still like the movie a lot.