[rating=7.00]
There’s an almost refreshing economy to the narrative of Underwater that is easy to admire. Within the first five minutes of the long-awaited film—which was completed in 2017 and shelved during Disney’s buyout of Fox—we’re told all we need to know about what we’re in store for, and the film never significantly deviates from the course.
Following a brief, expository credit sequence, which tells us all we need to know about the deep water oil rig located at the Mariana Trench, we’re introduced to Norah (Kristen Stewart) who broodingly prepares for her day while her voiceover tells us how lonely and isolating and dangerous it is down there, at the bottom of the world. And then the rig is breeched, and she has to run for her life.
Director William Eubank (Love, The Signal) wastes no time introducing us to superfluous characters destined to die in act two after an extended sequence of introductions and exposition. No, with this film he wears his heart on his sleeve, thrusting us into the midst of the turmoil and expecting us to figure our own way, just as his characters must. Instead, we’re allowed to focus on what’s important: what happened, and what do they do know?
While there’s no denying that Underwater is an exceptionally silly movie, the earnestness with which the film holds itself also makes for an exceedingly fun movie. It turns quickly from disaster movie to monster movie, while skirting the edges of philosophical ponderings about whether or not man is the real monster here. Though never is it as deep as it might be, it’s also never as shallow as it could’ve been, making for a movie that’s a shockingly good time.
The action mounts quickly over the film’s brief, 90-minute run time. Norah soon finds herself in the company of other survivors and a plan is concocted. With the escape pods to their rig all either gone or in some state of disrepair, they have no choice but to put on their deep water suits and walk a mile on the pitch black floors of the Mariana to an abandoned exploratory rig which, if they’re lucky, might have functioning escape pods. Of course, who knows what dangers lurk in the deep, dark waters? Was it an earthquake that caused the destruction of the rig, or was it…something else?!
We’re essentially looking at a paint-by-numbers action-horror movie that would fit in nicely within the 1998 oeuvre. The addition of Eubank as director adds a sense of emotional elevation to the razor thin plot that keeps us invested in the characters—well, everyone except TJ Miller’s character, who’s annoying even by TJ Miller standards—until the climactic set piece that closes out the narrative.
Nothing is reinvented here, but nothing needs to be. The film’s taut claustrophobia speaks for itself and Stewart does a fine job holding this fun bit of tripe together, as too does her co-star, Vincent Cassel. The bottom of the ocean is an inherently terrifying place, and the movie does an excellent job at giving us a built in time to concern ourselves with. To be sure, the movie didn’t need monsters but their addition gives us that little bit of extra weight that turns this movie into such a fantastically enjoyable time.
Underwater is definitely not for everyone and a sizable portion of those who see it will roll their eyes at the predictable scenarios and silly conceit of the film. This is a movie that requires a certain amount of willingness to buy in. Those who fight the film or try to beat it will be, quite understandably, disappointed in what they see. But those who go in just wanting some lowbrow entertainment for 90 minutes of their lives could do much, much worse.
Underwater is now playing in theaters everywhere.
