A well-crafted and criminally underrated Underwater Ghost Story.
Below (2002)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted: 66
Fresh: 42
Rotten:24
Average Rating: 6.1/10
Consensus: Below is a creepy, claustrophobic exercise in style.
Rated: R [See Full Rating] for language and some violence
Runtime: 1 hr 45 mins
Genre: Horror/Suspense
Theatrical Release: Oct 11, 2002 Limited
Box Office: $469,939
Synopsis: In 1943, the crew of the U.S.S. Tiger Shark, an American submarine in the Atlantic, rescues three survivors of a British hospital ship that came under German attack. One of the survivors, a nurse (Olivia Williams), raises tensions among... In 1943, the crew of the U.S.S. Tiger Shark, an American submarine in the Atlantic, rescues three survivors of a British hospital ship that came under German attack. One of the survivors, a nurse (Olivia Williams), raises tensions among the all-male crew from the moment she steps aboard. Commanding Officer Lieutenant Brice (Bruce Greenwood) does his best to keep the unruly crew in line, but after suffering damage from a barrage of Nazi depth charges (in a spectacular sequence) a series of increasingly spooky occurrences begin to rattle everybody aboard. A mysterious face that appears in the windows, a ghostly phonograph that plays a Benny Goodman record, and a corpse that seems to talk are just the beginning. Soon it is discovered that Captain Brice has not been entirely truthful regarding an accident that previously happened on the boat. David Twohy's (PITCH BLACK) unique submarine thriller skillfully combines the conventions of the War and Haunted House genres, using a keen eye for detail to create a very believable and claustrophobic world. Based on a script by Darren Aronofsky and Lucas Sussman (rewritten by Twohy), BELOW doesn't rely on cheap scares. Its supernatural element is secondary to a forceful tale of danger at sea. [More]
Starring: Matt Davis, Bruce Greenwood, Olivia Williams, Scott Foley
Starring: Matt Davis, Bruce Greenwood, Olivia Williams, Scott Foley, Zach Galifianakis, Jason Flemyng, Holt McCallany
Director: David Twohy
Director: David Twohy
Screenwriter: Lucas Sussman, Darren Aronofsky, David Twohy
Producer: Susan Baden-Powell, Michael Zoumas
Composer: Graeme Revell
Studio: Dimension Films
DVD Info
Reviews for Below
O roteiro tem sua parcela de furos e absurdos, mas a boa direção de Twohy consegue manter o clima de tensão por boa parte do tempo.
An underappreciated little film that would go down well as part of a triple bill on video for some undemanding entertainment.
Half Submarine flick, Half Ghost Story, All in one criminally neglected film
Twohy is not only skilled at building and maintaining suspense, he’s also aware that a cast chock full of experienced character actors is the right fit for a haunted sub flick.
an exceedingly clever piece of cinema.another great ‘what you don’t see’ is much more terrifying than what you do see thriller, coupled with some arresting effects, incandescent tones and stupendous performances
The film has enough spooky momentum and good actors to keep it going.
Thanks to strong acting and low-key direction, Below stays above water in atmosphere and suspense.
What rounds out the taut WWII terror tale is a more contemporary spin on the paranoia and dehumanization that are the byproducts of war.
As underwater ghost stories go, Below casts its spooky net out into the Atlantic Ocean and spits it back, grizzled and charred, somewhere northwest of the Bermuda Triangle.
There is nothing outstanding about this film, but it is good enough and will likely be appreciated most by sailors and folks who know their way around a submarine.
A crisp psychological drama [and] a fascinating little thriller that would have been perfect for an old "Twilight Zone" episode.
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by: MovieDudeGuy 7/22/04
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