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Underwater

This was filmed in 2017, then got caught in a Disney/20th Century purgatory, at last dumped in the January doldrums. I found it an entertaining genre piece. Kristen Stewart is far more convincing as an action hero here than she was in her Charlie’s Angel dud. I loved her blonde crewcut and her lithe physicality. Vincent Cassell adds excellent support. I couldn’t help thinking that this group of actors could have carried the film if the dilemma were confined to surviving a deep sea earthquake, but I guess for 80 million you need monsters.

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I have been casually curious as to how Underwater would compare to the late 80s underwater horror films Leviathan and Deepstar Six.

^ I hadn’t seen either of those but as both are free on Prime I gave each a brief shot. They’re saddled with much introductory exposition, leaden screenplays and wooden performances. The first half hour of Leviathan includes cringe worthy scenes of workplace sexual harassment, treated as boys will be boys comedy. I never got to the monsters so can’t compare. Underwater has no exposition, we’re plunged into the unrelenting suspense in the first five minutes.