Films have used sleep as a symbol, theme or plot device countless times in the history of cinema. Often used to pry into the inner workings of the human psyche, to bring surrealists dreams closer to reality, or to prevent viewers from getting a good night’s rest themselves, sleep holds limitless potential in film and media.
If not executed properly, however, sleep could be a hit-or-miss theme. So when the trailer for Deep, a sci-fi thriller by Netflix Thailand centered on sleep in a life-or-death situation, came out, I just knew that I had to watch it.
Here is SEA Wave’s High Five review of Deep.
Engaging premise
Photo from Netflix
Deep follows the story of four insomniac medicine students who, for each their reason, have taken part in a three-phase neuroscience experiment. For insomniacs like them, the experiment was simple: do not fall asleep.
Each phase required a longer time to complete, meaning they had to stay awake for longer. While the first phase was a breeze, the second was a near-death experience. Knowing that the students could no longer stay awake, they eventually decided to end at phase two. But after a series of unexpected events, they continued phase three despite the risks.
Long story short, the group unearths more about the experiment and is now trying to get out—all the while battling sleep deprivation and its effects.
The premise is deeply promising however it was not executed as well as many hoped. But before we go into what was lacking in the film, we want to highlight what was good about it first.
Effective cinematography and production
Photo from Netflix
Story aside, there were moments in the film where the characters were at the peak of sleep deprivation, and some of the shots made me feel like I was the one experiencing those effects. For instance, when Jane (Panisara Rikulsurakan) was feeling drowsy and Win (Kay Lertsittichai) was about to fall.
Here, viewers got to see what the characters were feeling through shots that showed their perspective. Plus, when Win was about to fall, the camera mounted to his chest gave an interesting and vertigo-inducing perspective. So instead of simply showing sleepy characters losing their balance and falling from the usual wide-angle shot, the audiences got more personal points of view that put them in the place of the characters.
There were also fun and quick montages that I appreciated, especially with the funky background tunes that came with it. The montage that I liked in particular was when Jane was preparing food for their store and when the students were imagining what they’d do with their earnings from the experiment which added some much-needed energy to the film.
Overall, the production values were great, the cinematography was slick, and stylized editing and production choices like incorporating montages or motion graphics keep the film looking fresh and engaging. Deep is a technically sound and well-produced film that manages to capture the audience visually, however the problem lies in its other elements.
Inconsistent pacing
Photo from Netflix
The pacing during the first few minutes of the film was great. It got me instantly hooked and needing more. But as the film progressed, we start to get more dragged out and slow scenes that took away engagement because nothing exciting or too memorable was happening.
An example of this was when Win got home after spending the day with the group. He meets his father by the stairs of their home. The scene looked as if something dramatic was about to take place. However, his father just remarked on how unusually early he came home then the scene ended.
You’d think that some of the slow parts were meant to build into something surprising, but these failed to lead into anything relevant. The slow parts were mostly used as exposition to explain things rather than set up something significant for the plot or characters.
Characters with no character
Photo from Netflix
Speaking of, one of the things that I looked forward to with the film was actually the characters. The trailer made each one seem appealing, and I wanted to know more about their motivations (and possibly their backstories) for joining the experiment.
While we do get a few glimpses of each character’s problems about why they couldn’t or wouldn’t sleep, I still think their stories could have been developed or shown further. For example, Cin (Supanaree Sutavijitvong) received a call from her mother saying that she will no longer support her financially.
While it looks like Cin is about to get into an argument with her mom, the scene ends abruptly with Cin shutting the door on us. The next thing we see is that the students were back in the experiment facility.
These characters could have brought something more to the table. Unfortunately, their stories were ignored by the end of it, leaving audiences with a dissatisfied thinking that there could’ve been something more.
More of a teen drama than a sci-fi thriller
Photo from Netflix
Despite being labeled as a sci-fi thriller, Deep reminded me more of teen dramas. And as someone who went into the film expecting thrill, suspense and mystery, I was disappointed.
Of course, I appreciate that the film showed teen, family, and friendship issues that would help audiences sympathize with the characters. But even then, the story just seemed to include these issues for the sake of having them. The stakes and character motivations felt contrive for the most part, with things just happening for the sake of drama.
We unfortunately didn’t go deeper into the science behind sleep and no potential hidden secrets about the experiment (that were new and unexpected) came to light by the end of the film, which is a shame given the premise’s potential.
The Verdict
Deep could have been something better. It felt like it had a lot to offer and could have even led to different and unique directions. The film, however, became too predictable and went down the usual path that many other conventional films go to.
For the most part, Deep will not meet much of your expectations, especially if you went in expecting what you saw from its trailer. It’s not something I’d go back to rewatch if I’m looking for something nail-bitingly suspenseful.
It’s a generally good movie but not one that you would deem memorable, and since the plot is not overly complicated, it is also best for a simple, quick, and light watch when you’re browsing Netflix for your weekend movie binge.
Overall, if you aren’t in the mood for a thriller that’s too heavy, then Deep is a good alternative. It has an interesting premise with high production values, stylized editing and POV cinematography making it visually appealing. But don’t expect it to deliver anything out of the ordinary as most of the film just serves the plot and the drama, leading to a predictable outcome without much engaging thrills or mysteries along the way.
With this, we give Deep a 3 out of 5 waves.