Deep Ocean – Movie Review & Film Summary

Lai Fan is a high school student who used to be a member of the swim team. He recently quit, which comes as a surprise considering his swimming abilities. When asked why, Lai Fan claims he lost interest. He dislikes the smell of the pool and finds it unappealing. There's no scenery or wildlife. Lai Fai prefers swimming in the ocean instead.

Back when he was still on the swim team, Lai Fan became best friends with his teammate, Zheng Tao Yang. Even after Lai Fan quit, the two of them continued to spend time together. They’re close, comfortable enough to joke around and be playful. Lai Fan even takes Zheng Tao Yang to the ocean to show him that swimming outdoors feels more liberating. The two friends enjoy the day trip, laughing and splashing in the water.

Lai Fan has secret feelings for Zheng Tao Yang. He sometimes sneaks glances at him in the locker room shower, but his friend doesn't seem to notice. Now and then, Zheng Tao Yang gives off mixed signals, such as an intense look or a brief moment of physical closeness, but nothing ever develops further. Lai Fan never confesses or acts on his feelings. Instead, he has erotic fantasies in his bedroom, imagining steamy hookups with his best friend. In his head, their exchanges are passionate.

One day at school, Lai Fan sees Zheng Tao Yang with a female classmate. The two of them slip into a classroom and get physically intimate. Lai Fan stands at the doorway, heartbroken as he watches. Soon, the weight of his unspoken feelings begins to take an emotional toll. He tries to pull away and put distance between them. But at night, the erotic fantasies still come. Zheng Tao Yang notices the strange behaviour and finally confronts him.

Deep Ocean is a short film about two high school friends. The first few scenes tease the ambiguity of their relationship. A lingering look, a brief touch, and suddenly, you're unsure where friendship ends and attraction begins. I like this part of the story the most. It's fun trying to read into the mixed signals and wonder about a potential romance. It taps into the teenage part of my brain that has never grown up. Does your secret crush like you back? OMG!

Lai Fan realizes his friend isn't attracted to him. Our heartbroken protagonist mopes around and wallows in self-pity. And then… not much else happens. The rest of the film focuses on the pain of unrequited love. Scene after scene, we see gloomy imagery. A dark bedroom. A distant stare. A dramatic collapse into the sea. The filmmaker finds slightly different ways to depict Lai Fan's emotional spiralling, but it almost feels repetitive. The plot is also a little clichéd. Teenage angst over a guy who doesn't return your feelings is an overdone trope. It isn't winning any awards for originality.

Due to his one-sided crush, Lai Fan feels sexually repressed. He fantasizes about hooking up with his friend, picturing steamy moments between them. Technically, they're meant to be intimate. However, these scenes are filmed in dimly lit rooms. You can barely see anything except the vague outlines of their bodies. Besides these brief moments of imaginary passion, Deep Ocean lacks romantic content. It cares more about brooding than boning. You won't find any happy love story where a character realizes his true love was in front of him all along.

Deep Ocean is an artsy movie characterized by dim lighting, moody visuals, and cryptic metaphors that want to seem profound. The filmmaker leans heavily on water as a symbol. The protagonist stands in the sea as waves crash over him. He's trapped in a glass tank, slowly sinking. He stares melancholically as rain pours down the window. The brooding melodrama gets so over the top that it feels like a parody, making me laugh. To be clear, nothing tragic actually happens. A teenager experiences a broken heart, but the movie treats his emotions like the end of the world.

Both main characters are swimmers. There are multiple scenes of them frolicking in the water, and these visuals can look quite striking. Also, the movie isn't shy about lingering on their physiques, especially Mike Lin's toned arms. Yes, the shirtless situation improves my opinion of this movie. While the eye candy isn't enough to compensate for everything wrong, it helps a little. The leads give okay performances. However, the problem is that I find the writing too melodramatic. I appreciate the acting less since I'm too busy rolling my eyes at the over-the-top angst.

Deep Ocean never lightens up. After Lai Fan starts unravelling over his unrequited love, his suffering remains for the rest of the film. I lost interest midway after yet another miserable scene about his heartbreak. I wish there was more to the story than a gay protagonist crying to himself while pining after a straight guy. Other viewers may connect with this poignant tale of unattainable love, but I don't have the patience for it. Overall, Deep Ocean is drowning in overwrought emotion, heavily clichéd melodrama, and too many cryptic metaphors.