Pratik Handore
Director Le-Van Kiet’s ‘The Requin‘ takes viewers to the sunny oceans of Vietnam as couple Jaelyn and Kyle visit the country on vacation. However, the couple’s quest to overcome a tragedy through the vacation soon turns into a nightmarish situation when they are left stranded in the ocean after a tropical storm. Soon, the couple finds themselves fighting sharks for their survival.
The horror-thriller film is layered with emotional conflicts and tackles some resonant themes. Moreover, the premise of a couple fighting sharks is itself scary to be realistic but not entirely outside the realm of possibility. Naturally, viewers must be curious to learn whether the movie is based on any real events. If you wish to find out the inspiration behind ‘The Requin,’ here is everything you need to know!
Is The Requin a True Story?
No, ‘The Requin’ is not based on a true story. The film is based on an original concept from writer-director Le-Van Kiet. In an interview, Kiet opened up about the conceptualization of the film’s story and the influence of the shark attack sub-genre. Kiet explained that he had conversations with indie film producers about several film ideas. A few of the ideas were about shark attacks as Kiet was himself very gravitated towards the sub-genre. Thus, he began developing a very personalized and emotionally resonant take on the tropes of the sub-genre.
Kiet revealed that he drew inspiration from an article about an Indonesian boy who was caught in a storm while still inside his hut. The boy would survive for several months and face sharks before being rescued. Kiet stated he based the characters’ survival experiences on those he read in the article. However, the element of the main characters dealing with trauma while on vacation is a fictional aspect he added to tackle the themes of grief and loss. The same is represented in the movie through Jaelyn and Kyle’s quest to overcome the passing of their firstborn child and the trauma caused by their daughter’s stillbirth. Thus, the story’s survival theme is elevated on a more personal level.
Kiet explained that he utilized nature to depict the character arc of Jaelyn. At the film’s start, Jaelyn is in a stagnant state as she is unable to move past her trauma. However, a wild storm (a force of nature) forces Jaelyn to fight for her survival. Her quest for survival in the wilderness itself becomes a cathartic experience and prompts Jaelyn to move forward in life. Thus, despite the tragic strokes to Jaelyn’s arc, her journey is emotionally resonant for viewers. Additionally, the director revealed that his vision was inspired by movies such as ‘Open Water,’ ‘The Reef,’ and ‘The Shallows,’ among others.
Ultimately, ‘The Requin’ is a fictional story that is rooted in reality through its humanized and realistic characters. Their physical and emotional struggles allow the viewers to connect with the narrative. Moreover, the themes of grief and loss are universal and resonant with viewers across the globe. Certain scenes in the film are also based on real incidents making it an even more realistic depiction of the survival themes it tackles.
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