Now on DVD: Waterworld

Today, rather than review a newer movie, I'm opting to take a few minutes to talk about a film that's been on the shelves for about a decade and, in my opinion, is a classic. Not because it's a great movie; because it falls so short of greatness, it's a very memorable one.

Most people will remember Kevin Costner's movie Waterworld as a failure at the box office. I remember it as a film with tons of potential that was never met.

Waterworld is one of the first movies to actually show the potential impact of global warming. The polar ice caps have melted, creating a world that is completely submerged in water and the population has to survive on make-shift boats and man-made islands.

The basic plot of the movie is there is dry land somewhere in the world and a young girl (played by Tina Majorino) holds the secret in the form of a tattoo on her back; drawing the interest of Waterworld's pirates; referred to as smokers.

The plot of the movie is an interesting one. However, I think the film tries to do a bit too much. The fights with the smokers are diluted a bit by smaller skirmishes with other sailors and I think the film works a bit too hard to keep reminding people the Earth of the past is underwater. Yet, it never once gives an explanation about where all the water came from; considering I doubt there's enough ice on the polar ice caps to submerge the highest mountains of the world and you never see it rain. And, why is Costner one of very few mutants (he has gills and webbed feet) when everyone has lived in the same environment for generations in small, tight-knit communities where you know there's going to be inbreeding?

I'm also not sure why the writers chose to have women revert back to being second-class citizens in a world like that; where a trader can sell 30 minutes with a woman in exchange for a couple pieces of paper.