Underwater

Name: Underwater
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Released: January 10, 2020
Duration: 95 min
Rating: 48
Cast: Amanda Troop, Fiona Rene, Gunner Wright, Jessica Henwick, John Gallagher Jr.

2020

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 37 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 282 Ratings

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6.6

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6.6	Your Score
6.6	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 282 Ratings

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Underwater

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Movie Details & Credits

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures | Release Date: January 10, 2020 | PG-13

Starring: Amanda Troop, Fiona Rene, Gunner Wright, Jessica Henwick, John Gallagher Jr., Kristen Stewart, Mamoudou Athie, T.J. Miller, Vincent Cassel

Summary: A crew of underwater researchers must scramble to safety after an earthquake devastates their subterranean laboratory.

Director: William Eubank

Genre(s): Action, Sci-Fi, Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Horror

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 95 min

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Critic Reviews

Matt Donato

Jan 8, 2020

Yes it's "Alien but underwater," and that's a good thing given how a top-notch Kristen Stewart leads us on a terrifying dive into the deepest reaches of aquatic horror. Read full review

Alex Saveliev

Jan 11, 2020

Stewart commands the screen in a fierce performance, effortlessly elevating the material with a few poignant glances and teeth-clenched determination. Read full review

Leah Greenblatt

Jan 8, 2020

She’s (Stewart) just another action hero — albeit a smart, flinty one with exceptionally good hair — learning the hard way that under the sea, as in space, no one can hear you scream. Read full review

The Playlist Jason Bailey

Jan 8, 2020

You’ve gotta give Underwater this much, though: it’s not boring. It’s brief (95 minutes), knows exactly what it is, and Stewart and Cassell seem to be having a good time. Read full review

Ty Burr

Jan 10, 2020

An acceptable creature feature at best and a waterlogged “Alien” at worst, Underwater sneaks into town as a true January release: a shelf-sitting production that 20th Century Fox’s new owner, Disney, is putting outside the store like a loaf of stale bread. It’s there if you want it, and you could chew on worse. Read full review

Matthew Monagle

Jan 10, 2020

William Eubank’s Underwater is as incomprehensible an action movie as I’ve ever seen in theaters. Read full review

Rex Reed

Jan 11, 2020

The only reason I wanted to see it at all is Kristen Stewart, but she is so wasted that she should have stayed in bed. Read full review

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User Reviews

marcolitt

Jan 10, 2020

Powerful moments, high tensione and clautrophobia all the time. Kristen Stewart is the best actress of her generation. Great!

13 of 43 users found this helpful1330

AndreLimade

Oct 29, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. É interessante do início ao fim, vai direto ao ponto, da um pouco de medos seguidos de alguns sustos, ótimos monstros, já os personagens... daquele jeito não são bons mas os atores compensam. E tem o Cthulhu... eu gosto do Cthulhu, e ele pra mim é algo muito bom.… Expand

2 of 9 users found this helpful27

ronzama

Jan 10, 2021

Definitely a movie a would recommend to anyone who likes aliens, mystery, and horror.
Perfect movie for friday night at 00.30am.

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

Owyn

Jun 6, 2021

+ Rather nice horror movie with nice pacing and characters

- Visually ugly main character

4 of 4 users found this helpful40

TheQuietGamer

Jun 25, 2021

The term "Aliens clone" or "rip-off" gets thrown around so much it's kind of lost all meaning. Yet, I don't think it would be a hyperbole to say that Underwater bears more than a passing resemblance to the legendary sci-fi franchise. It's more Ridley Scott than James Cameron though, with theThe term "Aliens clone" or "rip-off" gets thrown around so much it's kind of lost all meaning. Yet, I don't think it would be a hyperbole to say that Underwater bears more than a passing resemblance to the legendary sci-fi franchise. It's more Ridley Scott than James Cameron though, with the deep sea drill the characters inhabit calling to mind the Nostromo over Hadley's Hope.

The set design is actually the movie's greatest strength. You can tell a lot of work and care went into the little details, be they scattered mementos or a personal touch that a diver added to their scuba gear, to make the environments feel lived-in and therefore believable. You can see the evidence of the life that once filled the facility before things went wrong which leads to a very haunting, solemn atmosphere and an ever-present feeling of loss that weighs on the survivors.

It all ends up being somewhat squandered though as the film falls prey to the modern day cinema trapping of trying to make everything funny. I realize a little bit of humor can go a long way in a serious tale, but here we have a full-fledged comedian in T.J. Miller who is always ready with a sarcastic remark or amusing comment no matter what's going on, which constantly takes away from the gravity of the situation and severely limits the fear factor. Even as someone with thalassophobia, megalohydrothalassophobia, ichthyophobia, and countless other oceanic phobias there was never a moment that sent so much as a shiver up my spine, which is a letdown because on paper this should have been a pure nightmare for me.

The biggest disappointment however is the handling, or mishandling rather, of the Lovecraftian elements. Stripped of any traces of cosmic horror, Cthulhu and The Deep Ones have been turned into generic feeling, albeit cool looking movie monsters, which has to be some kind of sin. I searched for any sign that something deeper was going on with these creatures to no avail. A shame because that really could have added something special to the story.

All that aside, you can tell everyone involved really poured their hearts and souls into making this because they truly believed in the vision for the film, flawed though it may be. So while it's never as satisfying as it could have been, it is still a solid, charming creature feature with incredible visuals (the diving suits are dope) that I wouldn't mind watching again if someone were to put it on or I needed some background noise.

6.5/10… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

JLau

Sep 23, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Underwater rig in the Mariana Trench explodes and the team are not alone when trying to reach escape pods.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

Lily2468

May 14, 2020

Any positive reviews for this movie are paid for. Unlikeable characters sloshing around speaking unintelligible drivel in complete darkness. To call it garbage would be unfair to actual garbage.

2 of 10 users found this helpful28

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