Deep-Sea "Alien": "Underwater" derivative, yes, but a solid aquatic thriller

Underwater (2020)

95 min.
Screened on January 8, 2020 at Regal UA King of Prussia

Release Date: January 10, 2020 (Wide)

No film will ever be “Alien” besides Ridley Scott’s 1979 masterpiece, but a successor can certainly try, like 2017’s effectively gripping space-set “Life,” so what is one more? A derivative but solid and satisfactory aquatic horror/sci-fi thriller, “Underwater” doesn’t make any new discoveries, but it does exactly what it should and does it well. Director William Eubank (2014’s “The Signal”) doesn’t even try to hide the fact that much of his film is generally a clone of other films—James Cameron’s “Aliens” and “The Abyss” also come to mind, and maybe even '90s B-movies “Deep Rising,” “Sphere” and “Virus”—but he elevates the proceedings with a strong cast, several pulse-quickening thrills, and a finale that goes against the grain.

“Underwater” wastes little time getting straight to the point, efficiently running through the opening credits of newspaper clippings that highlight key words about the dangers of drilling seven miles below the ocean surface into the Mariana Trench, and then dropping one right into the action. No sooner have we met mechanical engineer Norah (Kristen Stewart) brushing her teeth than she is faced with an earthquake and water rushing through the walls of the deep-sea rig, forcing Norah to run at full-speed down hallways and run to a protective passage with Rodrigo (Mamoudou Athie) before closing the doors on two crew members who are goners for not outrunning the water. It’s an armrest-clencher, and director William Eubank shoots it in such a way that is urgent and visceral. From there, Norah, along with Captain Lucien (Vincent Cassel), wiseacre Paul (T.J. Miller), biologist Emily (Jessica Henwick) and engineer Liam (John Gallagher Jr.), must make her way down to the ocean floor and over to another drilling outpost to reach the escape pods, but what lies beneath might stop some of them from surviving.

Written by Brian Duffield (2017’s “The Babysitter”) and Adam Cozad (2016’s “The Legend of Tarzan”), “Underwater” is a taut piece of work, even if it could have withstood some more character meat on a scripting level. Being given both a physical and emotional workout, a head-shaven Kristen Stewart (2019’s “Charlie’s Angels”) is appointed the Ellen Ripley-like role — take the perilous moments her character runs around in her underwear. While it may be more for the choices of the actress than the writing itself, she is still a compelling anchor as Norah. As written, Norah is a cynical glass half-empty kind of gal, as spelled out in her opening internal monologue/voice-over narration, but the idea about the blurring of day and night and then dreams and reality is quickly discarded. The remaining actors are proficient in fulfilling the requirements of their archetypal roles, including T.J. Miller, who takes his sarcastic comic relief to the limit as the tatted, bubblegum-blowing, teddy bear-carrying Paul. 

Shot in 2017 and finally seeing the light of day, “Underwater” exceeds its January-release preconceptions. Only does the film break its nerve-shredding spell when the camerawork becomes so muddy and barely coherent, making it difficult to tell who is who, who is being attacked, and who is in relation to whom, even if the underwater confusion and disorientation are most likely intentional. The thrills that one can see, though, are gnarly and tense, and when and how the giant squid-like monsters are revealed is carefully considered. Even treading familiar waters, “Underwater” isn’t half-bad as a lean, mean genre programmer.

Grade: B -