Below (2002)

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

That was an excellent one.

hyped garbage

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

NO SPOILERS IN THIS FIRST PARAGRAPH... This film had a good story, the CGI was pretty good for a B movie and the acting wasn't bad either (mostly). On top of that the horror aspect was done well too. Unfortunately it was so full of clichés and unnecessary plot holes it was just ridiculous - even for a B movie! You should only watch this if you've moved all objects away from you because you WILL want to throw them at the TV!SPOILERS ALL THE WAY FROM HERE... The English woman was incredibly annoying throughout the whole thing. She walks around the boat after being confined to her cabin; gets caught rummaging through the captain's cabin; then tries ordering the crew around and demanding things from the XO and yet nobody seems to do anything about it. And do Americans think all English people speak like the Queen? I mean, really, why does Hollywood always have to give female English characters a silver spoon up their arse? So annoying was she that I was constantly rooting for someone to throw her off the boat or lock her in the torpedo tubes. In fact I think if she hadn't been in it I would have given this 6 stars instead of 3.When she took her mask off in the smoke filled compartment I thought 'Yay! She's going to suffocate now!' Alas, the smoke seemed to have suddenly disappeared and the air was breathable again - quite a thing to happen in an airtight submarine!Apart from that (and if you don't mind that the crew are standing on the deck of a sinking submarine in the middle of a storm yet they aren't having any trouble staying upright) there were only a few other plot holes so if you like ghost films and have exhausted every other option then it's worth a watch.

I found BELOW to be an engaging if predictable haunted submarine thriller director by the Australian David Twohy, who was also responsible for the similarly good PITCH BLACK. Both films share stylistic similarities (a trapped cast at the mercy of an unknown killer enemy) but in the end PITCH BLACK has the edge, thanks to the originality and scope of the far-reaching plot. BELOW is more mundane, but not without merit, and it works best as a mood piece rather than a thriller.The star of the show is Olivia Williams (MISS AUSTEN REGRETS), who along with Dexter Fletcher narrowly escapes the torpedoing of their hospital ship during WWII. They take refuge on a US submarine piloted by all manner of familiar and welcome faces (Bruce Greenwood, Nick Chinlund, Jason Flemyng, to name but a few). Pretty soon, weird things start happening (stuff turns on of its own accord and the crew are surrounded by weird apparitions and noises) and then people start dying. It's the kind of stuff we've seen a million times from Hollywood, but straight away the submarine setting had me hooked: I always enjoy the natural claustrophobia that's evoked in these kinds of settings, and it's no exception here. It would be hard to make a film that WASN'T atmospheric and suspenseful on board a submarine.The quality of the script is pretty good, and for a change the acting matches the written dialogue. At least most characters are fleshed out, rather than being one dimensional stereotypes. The film is augmented by some effective CGI work and despite some plot inconsistencies I had a ball with it.

So, should you give up a couple of hours and watch this film. If you're one of those people that are happy to chat with everyone around you while watching films or laugh at parts that are meant to be touching or scary, then no. (Okay, don't get me started on that.) If not, you'll enjoy this film, you'll enjoy the acting and you'll enjoy the atmosphere and the tension. I think the 6.? score is to be honest down to people who'd rather watch a documentary on WW II. Yes the submarine seems a bit roomy at times but that doesn't spoil the drama for me. As for the plot, without giving anything away, the sin at the heart of the story grows larger and darker. I won't say any more, just that you'll see some good actors here that have popped up and become more famous 10 years after this film.

The USS Tiger Shark appears to be haunted by the ghost of its dead captain, who died in a mutiny, and now seeks redemption. What is the crew gonna do?Perhaps it's my fault having seen Das Boot that I set my expectations a little too high of David Twohy's Below, a story which has nowhere to go (but down) and its suspense is largely ineffective outside of a few shocks. It is dull and uninvolving, has a disappointing pay off, and above all, just stands as another example of how poor a writer David Twohy is.Sorry, but I cannot recommend this one.