Knife in the Water

Knife in the Water is the first film by Roman Polanski. Polanski is, today, one of the greatest living directors--his talents are focused and defined. However, it was apparent in Knife in the Water that Polanski was toying and fiddling with many ideas that would eventually become honed-in-upon trademarks. For, in his debut, Polanski almost fervently employs his themes of claustrophobia, guilt, and tension. Hell, the entire film (or 90% of it) takes place on a boat. The story isn't much too. A couple pick up a young, unnamed hitchhiker and end up persuading him to go sailing with them. As the film progresses, there becomes a dualist nature of young and old with the married man and the hitchhiker boy. Eventually, violence breaks out and sex enters the playing field. And I enjoyed the scenes where the tension broke through, but the earlier scenes which made up about half the film were just too boring. The characters seem fine with everything, and I think it was Polanski's need to have something strange occur. There was no real tension in the earlier scenes, and that is apparent because of the dialogue (which is infantile in its use and depth). I admire much of the camerawork and toyed around with themes, but the film ultimately fails to simmer and then abruptly comes to a boil.
Knife in the Water: ★★1/2