When I first heard of Underwater I knew I had to see it. A Lovecraftian Cloverfield-like horror flick set underwater was irresistible for me. I didn’t really have any expectations but I hoped it would at least be entertaining. Well, after missing it in the cinemas and tracking a copy online, I can confirm that Underwater is definitely entertaining and actually scary at times but beyond that, it’s pretty dull.

When a drilling facility at the bottom of the Marina trench is struck by an earthquake, the surviving crew are forced to venture out across the ocean floor to a neighbouring station to resurface. The journey soon becomes a fight for survival as creatures, undiscovered by man, emerge and attack.

The Characters

The characters are the cast of every Alien inspired horror you’ve ever seen. Norah (Kristen Stewart) is the Ellen Ripley who isn’t sure she can handle the responsibilities and sacrifices that come with her command. Lucien (Vincent Cassel) is Dallas but European, Emily (Jessica Henwick) is a slightly calmer Lambert and T.J. Miller is of course the comic relief. The banter between them is charming and helps pass the time but in the long run, they’re just vehicles to navigate the audience through the plot.

Speaking of which, while there are some long dull periods, the film doesn’t waste any time at the beginning. The earthquake strikes within the first few minutes, propelling our characters into action. It’s a good start and shows promise, promise that isn’t fulfilled unfortunately.

The climax is pretty fun though.

The Horror

The ocean is an environment that doesn’t get used enough in cinema. It’s perfect for horror; an endless void where you can’t run or breathe but something can. Underwater does take advantage of this environment and creates some legitimately chilling sequences.

There are jump scares but compared to most mainstream horrors, they’re used to a small extent. A lot of the film’s horror comes from the tension and panic the characters experience as they can’t see what’s attacking them and from where.

If you’re willing to tolerate poorly written characters for ten, fifteen minutes of glorious monster horror then I’d recommend Underwater. Otherwise I’d avoid it. I enjoyed it at times but it’s going to be a real long while until I watch it again.

I give Underwater an ok 5 out of 10.