In the depths of the Mariana Trench, an underwater oil drilling station is hit by an earthquake. In order for Nora (Kristen Stewart) and the other survivors to reach safety, they will have to trek across the ocean floor to reach another part of the complex.
However, they quickly realise that there is another danger out there waiting for them. Something hungry...
However, they quickly realise that there is another danger out there waiting for them. Something hungry...
Oh the ignominy. Delayed and dumped in January by Fox's new overlords, Underwater initially comes across as something to avoid. Which is a shame because beneath the simple title is a fast, nasty genre thriller with a strong cast and a firm grasp of how to milk the suspense and terror from its familiar premise.
Evoking Alien, Jaws and the enjoyable cheese of Leviathan and Deep Rising, Underwater is one of the most enjoyable mainstream genre movies I have seen in a long time.
While the movie is not original, the filmmakers know why the movies they draw from work, and apply the same approach - the deliberate pacing; the focus on tight, claustrophobic framing and hyper-real sound design.
Even when the characters leave the collapsing station to trek across the ocean floor, the water is so murky that it is almost impossible to differentiate the setting from the creatures tracking them.
The frame is filled with broken debris from the station or limited by depth of field. We only ever get a sense of the immediate surroundings, creating a sense of claustrophobia that is maintained throughout the film.
The filmmakers emphasise the limitations of the human form and the technology we have created to protect it. Some of the most effective moments in the film are tight close-ups of Stewart's face in profile inside her helmet.
The cinematography rarely goes to a wide shot - the few establishing shots we get of the exterior of the station are god's eye-view shots of our heroes sluggishly moving in heavy diving suits. Not only does it emphasise their vulnerability in this environment, it continues the film's focus on disorienting the viewer, and preventing us from getting a clear grasp on where they are and where their foes could be.
In a film filled with pleasant surprises, the most welcome was the way the filmmakers show their antagonists. While the creatures are mostly produced by a computer, ala Alien they are kept out of frame, or obscured by mine-en-scene. Sometimes it is just because the water has such a shallow depth of field the characters and the viewer cannot grasp what is out there. It makes the effects uncanny but in a way that works for the film, rather than taking you out of it.
As far as the acting goes, this is Kristen Stewart's show. Stewart has proven time and time again, from Panic Room through Personal Shopper, that she can anchor a movie and provide an emotional credibility. She is marvellous in this movie - delivering an understated, vulnerable performance that never feels like cookie-cutter action heroine. She gives Nora a nervous energy that feels totally organic to the situation, and finds ways to make the inevitable adjustment feel natural without turning the character into a tote action hero.
Evoking Alien, Jaws and the enjoyable cheese of Leviathan and Deep Rising, Underwater is one of the most enjoyable mainstream genre movies I have seen in a long time.
While the movie is not original, the filmmakers know why the movies they draw from work, and apply the same approach - the deliberate pacing; the focus on tight, claustrophobic framing and hyper-real sound design.
Even when the characters leave the collapsing station to trek across the ocean floor, the water is so murky that it is almost impossible to differentiate the setting from the creatures tracking them.
The frame is filled with broken debris from the station or limited by depth of field. We only ever get a sense of the immediate surroundings, creating a sense of claustrophobia that is maintained throughout the film.
The filmmakers emphasise the limitations of the human form and the technology we have created to protect it. Some of the most effective moments in the film are tight close-ups of Stewart's face in profile inside her helmet.
The cinematography rarely goes to a wide shot - the few establishing shots we get of the exterior of the station are god's eye-view shots of our heroes sluggishly moving in heavy diving suits. Not only does it emphasise their vulnerability in this environment, it continues the film's focus on disorienting the viewer, and preventing us from getting a clear grasp on where they are and where their foes could be.
In a film filled with pleasant surprises, the most welcome was the way the filmmakers show their antagonists. While the creatures are mostly produced by a computer, ala Alien they are kept out of frame, or obscured by mine-en-scene. Sometimes it is just because the water has such a shallow depth of field the characters and the viewer cannot grasp what is out there. It makes the effects uncanny but in a way that works for the film, rather than taking you out of it.
As far as the acting goes, this is Kristen Stewart's show. Stewart has proven time and time again, from Panic Room through Personal Shopper, that she can anchor a movie and provide an emotional credibility. She is marvellous in this movie - delivering an understated, vulnerable performance that never feels like cookie-cutter action heroine. She gives Nora a nervous energy that feels totally organic to the situation, and finds ways to make the inevitable adjustment feel natural without turning the character into a tote action hero.
What takes this movie over the top is the ending, which offers a reveal that expands the threat our heroes face while giving a tip of the hat to horror fans. I will not spoil it, but what was great about this reveal was that once again, the filmmakers never offer a clear look at what our heroes see, while still giving it a sense of scale and weight that highlights how totally screwed the humans are.
While its components may be familiar, Underwater is an example of filmmakers taking the right lessons from their influences, and delivering a solid piece of entertainment. Check it out before it leaves theatres.
While its components may be familiar, Underwater is an example of filmmakers taking the right lessons from their influences, and delivering a solid piece of entertainment. Check it out before it leaves theatres.
If you are new to this blog, I also co-host a podcast on James Bond, The James Bond Cocktail Hour.
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