Below... We all Live On a Haunted Submarine
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Below: 5 out of 10: Much like M. Night Shyamalan's The Village halfway through Below I had a horrible feeling of dread. There were many ways the plot could still go and nothing but atmosphere and build-up had taken place. Yet I became convinced that a lame obvious payoff was in my future. I was right.
![below e](http://x1e.xanga.com/3fdf01f3c9335216906146/b169736698.jpeg)
Below tells such a simple straightforward story that the histrionics throughout the film seem even more overblown in retrospect than during the viewing. The movie succeeds on some levels, it has a nice Pitch Black homage, very good special effects and set design and it does create a spooky atmosphere with sounds all around you and slamming door and flickering lights. (Director Twohy throws so many fright clichés at you I'm surprised the submarine doesn't have a cat.)
![below d](http://x78.xanga.com/9ccf11f6d2332216906136/z169736690.jpeg)
The downsides, besides the disastrous ending, are more plentiful. Bruce Greenwood, playing the acting skipper, comes across as more of a fishing charter captain than a sub commander in wartime. And Olivia Williams, as the rescued nurse, plays cold so well that I was rooting for the only piece of eye-candy in the whole film to die, disappear or at the very least shut up.
![below c](http://xb9.xanga.com/429f17fbd2032216906127/z169736682.jpg)
All of this is a bit of a shame because take away the ghost story (and the endless bump in the night cheap scares that accompany it) you have yourself a pretty serviceable psychological thriller. On top of that the action scenes with the Germans attacking the sub are certainly tenser than any of the haunting stuff.
![below b](http://x47.xanga.com/c14c9af0d2130216906104/b169736660.jpg)
Director Twohy would have been wise to dump the end and gone with a straightforward crippled World War 2 sub story.
![below a](http://x67.xanga.com/a76f17f6d2732216906094/b169736652.jpg)
Please click here for the index of Movie Reviews and Actress Profiles
.
Below: 5 out of 10: Much like M. Night Shyamalan's The Village halfway through Below I had a horrible feeling of dread. There were many ways the plot could still go and nothing but atmosphere and build-up had taken place. Yet I became convinced that a lame obvious payoff was in my future. I was right.
![below e](http://x1e.xanga.com/3fdf01f3c9335216906146/b169736698.jpeg)
Below tells such a simple straightforward story that the histrionics throughout the film seem even more overblown in retrospect than during the viewing. The movie succeeds on some levels, it has a nice Pitch Black homage, very good special effects and set design and it does create a spooky atmosphere with sounds all around you and slamming door and flickering lights. (Director Twohy throws so many fright clichés at you I'm surprised the submarine doesn't have a cat.)
![below d](http://x78.xanga.com/9ccf11f6d2332216906136/z169736690.jpeg)
The downsides, besides the disastrous ending, are more plentiful. Bruce Greenwood, playing the acting skipper, comes across as more of a fishing charter captain than a sub commander in wartime. And Olivia Williams, as the rescued nurse, plays cold so well that I was rooting for the only piece of eye-candy in the whole film to die, disappear or at the very least shut up.
![below c](http://xb9.xanga.com/429f17fbd2032216906127/z169736682.jpg)
All of this is a bit of a shame because take away the ghost story (and the endless bump in the night cheap scares that accompany it) you have yourself a pretty serviceable psychological thriller. On top of that the action scenes with the Germans attacking the sub are certainly tenser than any of the haunting stuff.
![below b](http://x47.xanga.com/c14c9af0d2130216906104/b169736660.jpg)
Director Twohy would have been wise to dump the end and gone with a straightforward crippled World War 2 sub story.
![below a](http://x67.xanga.com/a76f17f6d2732216906094/b169736652.jpg)
Please click here for the index of Movie Reviews and Actress Profiles
.
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