January movies are typically little more than fodder that major studios toss out with little fanfare. Some of these movies are even purposely shelved till January so they can quietly die. The Grudge remake (released last week) is perfect evidence of that. It’s the perfect time for cheap comedies, lazy horror and contrived thrillers.
In Underwater, events are bad from the get-go. Norah (Kristen Stewart) is thrown into a disaster as the subterranean laboratory she works in, starts collapsing within itself. She finds a small crew, but their options of survival are limited. Together, they struggle to find ways to make it from deep in Mariana’s Trench to the surface. However, they are being stalked by hungry and horrifiying creatures of the deep.
Underwater doesn’t waste time trying to set up the reasons behind why the lab is down there or provide the connections between the characters, instead it jumps right into the calamity. This movie handles its environment well. At times, it veers into action movie territory as the characters race against time, knowing that if the facility breaches, they’ll be immediately imploded.
By its premise, Underwater already had me in the scales of its fin (I’m sorry). There are few things I fear more than the expanse of the ocean and what mysteries it contains. Underwater capitalizes on every aspect of fear, even though the viewer will never find themselves in any similar situation. It still manages to give panicked feelings of claustrophobia, being a sitting duck in an open expanse, and what may be hiding in the shadows, just watching you flail out of your natural element.
Underwater does nothing new for the horror/thriller/monster genre. It borrows tropes from every classic and cult horror of the past 40 years. It’s primarily a mix of Alien and The Descent. Norah is the Ellen Ripley of the movie, getting a chance to prove her will to survive against horrifying beasts. For as little promotion this movie is getting, I was sure we’d get bad CG or completely obscured monsters to save on budget. Though, I was impressed by the creature designs (one even made me cheer internally). The effects worked in the dark atmosphere of the deep and the creativity of the monsters made this far better than your average monster movie.
Kristen Stewart isn’t everyone’s cup of tea (or anyone’s), but she manages to command this movie. Little is known or needed of her character other than having a tragic backstory and being a brilliant mechanical engineer. She is the emotional and motivational glue that keep her small team alive as long as she possibly can. Stewart is joined by Vincent Cassel (Brotherhood of the Wolf), TJ Miller (Deadpool), and Jessica Henwick (Iron Fist), among others. They’re all one-dimensional, but that’s all Underwater requires. Just as with any slasher flick, you’ll have more fun guessing who’s next to go, instead of fearing for their individual safety.
Underwater is a very simple movie that is derivative of familiar standout films in the genre. It doesn’t bring anything new to the table. Though, the creature designs and tension brought on by varying levels of personal phobias help it stay afloat. It’s far better than most January releases and that relativity definitely improved the experience. It’s smirk-worthy in terms of excitement, laughs, and tension and will make for a fun rental. B-
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