Can Kristen Stewart anchor an action thriller that sees her Underwater at the deepest part of the ocean when all hell breaks loose? Yes, absolutely … unequivocally affirmative. She delivers an epic performance as Norah, an engineer working on a bottom-of-the-sea rig that descends into utter terror and chaos.
Underwater is out now on DVD, Blu-Ray and digital download formats and for fans of Stewart, or the thriller/horror genre, it is an enjoyable and satisfying journey under the sea. The flick is also tightly crafted. There are no wasted moments from filmmaker William Eubank (Signal), who has edited together his puzzle pieces that keep this thing pumping. Proof of what viewers are in for arrives in the film’s opening moments. I love a film that can grab you by the lapels at the outset.
We meet Stewart’s Norah as she’s in one of the undersea expanse’s bathrooms. She’s brushing her teeth as some small shakes start to make things unstable under her feat … and there’s some sort of noise emanating from what sounds like an outside source. Within seconds, our heroine is inundated with water, coming in from all sides as the rig starts its 90-minute journey to full meltdown. Oh, and that noise … it’s not knocking on the door with roses, let’s just say that.
Underwater works its social message delicately and never hits you over the head with it. But it is there, and it centers around man’s utter disregard for the health of Mother Nature. The company behind this enormous deepest-ever sea floor expedition are drilling and Mama does not like it. Also, they may have released some pre-historic creature(s) that have never seen humans prior. Think it goes well?
Clearly, Stewart survives the initial wave of destruction and manages to find only a handful of the 300-plus crew that are stationed down there. Among them is Rodrigo (Mamoudou Athie), T.J. Miller’s Paul, Smith (John Gallagher Jr.), Emily (Jessica Henwick) and luckily for this crew, their Captain (Vincent Cassel). All the escape pods on this part of the facility are gone. Their best hope, being seven miles down, is another part of the facility that is over a mile away. Yup, they’re going to have to don the suits and walk across the deepest part of the earth’s oceanic landscape.
The cast is a righteous ensemble. Matching Stewart’s powerful prowess is Cassel. The French actor was impeccably charged with playing the leader of this doomed crew. There is a palpable sense of sacrifice that comes from each of the cast’s characters. It is an inspiring thing to witness, especially during these days where we are all truly “in this together.” Cassel is every bit the leader, who keenly knows that Norah possesses what it takes to lead as well. The two of them navigate, along with the rest of the surviving crew, through a myriad of destruction mazes, downed wires and spaces that could not be more confining.
The director has cast a claustrophobic spell throughout that adds to the tension and immediacy of the story. From those opening moments having his characters crawl through spaces that are just barely big enough for them to get through, to literally putting his camera inside the protective helmets of these souls doing everything they can to survive through the most disturbing situations that seem to exponentially expand.
Eubank’s aptitude of bringing the tension, but also giving his audiences beats to breathe, is on full display with Underwater. Sure, there may be an eye roll moment or two in terms of that believability element, but it is no where near enough to take us out of the pulsating drama. The relationship between Cassel and Stewart is especially palpable. The helmer has given each of his actors’ moments to shine and moments to support. Miller has the obvious job of adding a few laughs to split that tension. He also manages to have some rather dramatic moments of utter endearment. Not only has the director proven to be a gifted wielder of suspense, but one who enriches his thespians with the power that they can shine throughout and won’t be overshadowed by the horror and excitement.
After experiencing the thrills and chills of Underwater, dive into the bonus features … led by Real Bunny Montage. When you see the flick, you’ll know what this is eluding too and it’s just the tonic one needs to calm down after the pulse-raising fun of Stewart’s latest.
Making Underwater is a fine, EPK-like, featurette that takes viewers behind the scenes and it all adds up to something truly magical. This was no ordinary set. Painting a picture of an undersea adventure that must feel like we are truly miles upon miles underwater takes major talent from the behind-the-scenes crew. This featurette combines those making-of moments with interviews from the cast that add to the enjoyment.
Design does a stellar job of showcasing how the set and locations came together. The final product makes it look easy, but of course we all know that was because what we witness arose out of countless hours of work on the part of the design team. Listening to the helmer talk about this particular aspect of his production, one gets the sense that this was a project especially close to all involved’s heart … and it shows.
Production is a bonus feature that is exactly as it sounds. The production takes a vaster scope to the project and it is as illuminating as it is enthralling. Lastly, Creatures & Visual Effects is the meat and potatoes of the behind-the-scenes features and that is because without those creatures’ design being so horrific, the shock and awe experiencing Underwater would not be as resonant. Personally, love witnessing effects shop people shine a spotlight on their contribution to the magic that is the movie.
The deleted scenes and extended scenes, with or without commentary, are fascinating. If for no other reason to get inside the head of the helmer to see his creative process. There’s also an alternative ending with optional commentary that is available on the digital release version, which I received for review. It’s worth a look for sure!
If you find yourself taking in Underwater a second time, turn on the feature audio commentary track and bask in Eubank’s passion for his film, as he is joined by Jared Purrington and Phil Gawthorne. It allows the director to go deeper into the making-of the flick, and the fact that it is being delivered as you witness the scene that he’s talking about is priceless.
Film Grade: B+
Bonus Features: B