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Below

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Below (2002)

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Reviews Counted:67

Fresh:43

Rotten:24

Average Rating:6.1/10

Consensus: Below is a creepy, claustrophobic exercise in style.

Runtime: 1 hr 45 mins

Genre: Horror/Suspense

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... 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

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Reviews for Below

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 >> >|
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N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed | comment Comment
04/29/09
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed

A subtly eerie mood piece.

Full Review Source: TheMovieReport.com | comment Comment
01/27/09
Michael Dequina
Michael Dequina
TheMovieReport.com

A well-crafted and criminally underrated Underwater Ghost Story.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
03/31/04
Scott Weinberg
Scott Weinberg
eFilmCritic.com

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.

comment Comment
03/02/04
Pablo Villaca
Pablo Villaca
Cinema em Cena

An underappreciated little film that would go down well as part of a triple bill on video for some undemanding entertainment.

Full Review Source: Movie Gurus | comment Comment
09/24/03
James O'Ehley
James O'Ehley
Movie Gurus

Half Submarine flick, Half Ghost Story, All in one criminally neglected film

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
03/17/03
Brian Mckay
Brian Mckay
eFilmCritic.com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Boston Phoenix | comment Comment
11/18/02
Boston Phoenix

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.

Full Review Source: Arizona Daily Star | comment Comment
11/15/02
Phil Villarreal
Phil Villarreal
Arizona Daily Star

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

Full Review Source: Moviehole | comment Comment
11/15/02
Clint Morris
Clint Morris
Moviehole

The film has enough spooky momentum and good actors to keep it going.

Full Review Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution | comment Comment
11/04/02
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Detroit News | comment Comment
11/03/02
Susan Stark
Susan Stark
Detroit News

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Modamag.com | comment Comment
11/02/02
Brian Orndorf
Brian Orndorf
Modamag.com

Thanks to strong acting and low-key direction, Below stays above water in atmosphere and suspense.

Full Review Source: Sun Newspapers of Cleveland | comment Comment
11/01/02
Gerry Shamray
Gerry Shamray
Sun Newspapers of Cleveland

What rounds out the taut WWII terror tale is a more contemporary spin on the paranoia and dehumanization that are the byproducts of war.

Full Review Source: Long Island Press | comment Comment
10/28/02
Prairie Miller
Prairie Miller
Long Island Press

Consistently clever and suspenseful.

Full Review Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press | comment Comment
10/25/02
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul)
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul)
St. Paul Pioneer Press

Gave me the willies.

Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
10/22/02
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid

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.

Full Review Source: Nitrate Online | comment Comment
10/22/02
Elias Savada
Elias Savada
Nitrate Online
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Orlando Weekly | comment Comment
10/21/02
Orlando Weekly

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.

Full Review Source: San Diego Metropolitan | comment Comment
10/21/02
Jean Lowerison
Jean Lowerison
San Diego Metropolitan

A crisp psychological drama [and] a fascinating little thriller that would have been perfect for an old "Twilight Zone" episode.

Full Review Source: Internet Reviews | comment Comment
10/20/02
Steve Rhodes
Steve Rhodes
Internet Reviews
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 >> >|
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Latest News for Below

October 17, 2002: The 60 Second Critic [on-camera movie review - Staci Layne Wilson for TV-Wire] Opens in new window
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