Review: ‘Underwater’ responds well to pressure (Includes first-hand account)

“Leave no rock unturned” certainly has its pros and cons. As humans scour every inch of the Earth, they turn their sights to the deepest depths of the ocean. Once where no man could survive the pressure, it’s only a matter of time before exploration becomes excavation. But what hides in the dark or deep below the ocean floor? What may our meddling awaken and how will it react to our intrusion? For years, movies have proposed previously undisturbed, uncharted areas were home to creatures ready to exact Mother Nature’s revenge. Consequently, they’ve unleashed something in Underwater and it’s not feeling very welcoming.

The Kepler station is only one of several facilities located on the ocean floor. When it’s compromised, some crew members escape in pods and others are trapped in a structure slowly collapsing in on itself. Nora (Kristen Stewart), a mechanical engineer, is one of a handful of survivors. Led by Captain Lucien (Vincent Cassel), the group sets out to reach their only hope of escape — a station more than a mile away — by doing the unthinkable: walking across the ocean floor in individual dive suits. But they’re not the only ones out there. Something is stalking them and the closer they get to their destination, the fewer their numbers become.

Science fiction thrillers have long relied on the prospect that something smarter and/or more vicious than anything previously encountered resides in the world’s unexplored territories. From remote jungles to arctic glaciers to distant sea depths, it’s impossible to know what may have evolved, survived or become dormant in these regions. But there’s one thing most of the films agree on: these unknown beasts are not laying out the welcome mats and they don’t take kindly to being disturbed. In this film, the hunters are hidden by darkness for most of the first and second acts, only giving audience’s glimpses of what they’ll likely eventually face in a kill or be killed standoff.

The cast is a suitable motley crew of personalities. Stewart’s character is calmest when she has a technical problem to resolve, while Cassel assumes the role of a captain committed to his responsibility to protect his team. T.J. Miller‘s character is the comic relief, playing the one crazy guy that seems to always be a part of these no man’s land expeditions. Of course, the other part of the ensemble is their unidentified enemies, which are always nearby.

The special effects whip audiences into the film in the opening minutes and keep them there for the remainder of the picture. The conclusion will be reminiscent of other movies, but that’s part of its appeal rather than a weakness.

7 miles below the ocean’s surface, something has awakened. Be the first to see @UnderwaterMovie in theaters tonight! #Underwater pic.twitter.com/oN9NIbKb2j

— 20th Century Fox (@20thcenturyfox) January 9, 2020

Director: William Eubank
Starring: Kristen Stewart, T.J. Miller and Vincent Cassel

Similar Posts

  • Review: ‘Annabelle Comes Home’ is a practised source of dread (Includes first-hand account)

    While some people love and collect vintage porcelain-faced dolls, others rightfully find them incredibly creepy. They inherently seem to have a certain level of sadness or malice attached to them. Long before Chucky took to the screen, people were suspicious of children’s toys. The Annabelle doll had many homes, but it all started when a grieving family adopted her as their surrogate and opened the door to a malevolent demon who terrorized them and all future owners. Eventually paranormal investigators, Ed and Lorraine Warren, were able to contain the evil. In Annabelle Comes Home, a girl learns the meaning of the old adage, “Curiosity killed the cat.”

  • Review: ‘The Assassin’ presents a strong, silent female hero (Includes first-hand account)

    While female heroes are still an uncommon occurrence in cinema, they are more prevalent in some genres than others. Martial arts pictures boast a number of women protagonists who prove capable in a variety of circumstances, including physical altercations. Whether on a mission of revenge or attempting to complete a quest, these women match the proficiency of their male counterparts and fulfill their requirements as hero to a tee. The Assassin features one of these female action stars.

  • The Bride review: It lives in chaos

    ‘The Bride’ is a frenetic tale of female empowerment from the perspective of a woman who demands agency in her second life.

  • Review: Hot Docs makes ‘em laugh (Includes first-hand account)

    Documentary is typically considered a relatively serious genre of film, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for laughter. In the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival‘s “Special Presentations” programme, there are two films dedicated to men who brought humour to generations of performers and audiences. These films are: Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You and Thank You Del: The Story of the Del Close Marathon.