Terror lurks beneath the surface in 47 Meters Down

The terrifying film that’ll make you think twice about going in the ocean, 47 METERS DOWN, arrives on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and On Demand.

47 Meters Down, the latest film from director Johannes Roberts (The Other Side of the Door), is a film that captures the insurmountable feeling of dread, terror, and anxiety brought on by the hopelessness of being stuck at the bottom of the ocean surrounded by sharks. The film, which stars Mandy Moore (“This Is Us”), Claire Holt (“The Originals”), and Matthew Modine (The Dark Knight Rises), will make you never want to go in the ocean again.

I have got to give it to this indie gem, it made quite the splash in the mainstream film releases, becoming the highest grossing indie film of the year. Movies surrounding sharks have always been a staple during the summer months, and though this film may not have been perfect, it did its job of putting the fear of these predatory animals into the hearts of viewers. Not saying that sharks are evil, they are majestic in their own way, but let’s be real, the majority of us aren’t in any rush to come face to face with one, unless it’s behind several layers of thick, unbreakable glass.

47 Meters Down focuses sisters Lisa (Moore) and Kate (Holt), who have decided to take a vacation to Mexico. Lisa, who has recently been dumped by her boyfriend for not being the adventurous type, is persuaded by her sister to go cage diving to view sharks. Though extremely hesitant at first, Lisa agrees, in hopes that maybe this will prove to her ex that she is more audacious than he perceived her as. However, things don’t go as planned and Lisa and Kate find themselves trapped in the shark cage at the bottom of the ocean with little less than an hours worth of oxygen left and great white sharks circling the cage.

via Lionsgate

I’m going to come right out and say that the acting in this movie is not the best. There were moments, especially in the first ⅓ of the film, where I felt as though I was watching a Lifetime TV movie; however, I just kept reminding myself the director was setting up the story and that the action would come soon enough. Though I wish the acting could have been stepped up a notch, the eventual action sequences and the overwhelming feeling of dread and tension vastly made up for the subpar acting. That’s not to say that I’m hating on the acting abilities that Moore and Holt possess, I think they are fine actresses, I just think the dialogue they were given was lacking in substance which resulted in lukewarm performances in the beginning of the film.

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Now, you are reading this review because you want to know about the sharks. Let me tell you, this film kept me on the edge of my seat from the moment the cage wires snapped to the very surprising ending. This film doesn’t rely heavily on the use of gore, though there is some bloodshed, instead, it focuses on the heightened senses and the overwhelming feeling of claustrophobia and hopelessness. Scientists know more about space than they do about the ocean, which to me is absolutely horrifying since we have no idea what could be lurking in the murky water beneath us. That notion of the unknown can be quite terrifying on it’s own, so imagine adding in the fact that you could also be losing oxygen and you have found yourself surrounded by great white sharks who are ready to pounce on their dinner and that type of fear could be paralyzing.

In my opinion, the moment that was the most surprising in the film was the ending. I always enjoy a good bait-and-switch so it came as a surprise when the final moments began to unfold. For me, the last ⅔ of the movie were the most exciting and heart pounding, grabbing my attention and never letting it go. I can say with all honesty that I was even feeling stressed over all of the soul crushing build up towards learning if Lisa and Kate would survive.

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Overall, though the acting left a lot to be desired, it didn’t take away from the all encompassing anxiety that permeated from the screen. I know there are those out there who will say that films like Jaws, The Shallows, and 47 Meters Down give sharks a bad name, which they do, but that still doesn’t mean they aren’t terrifying creatures. If you like films that create a palpable layer of tension while also making you never want to go near any body of water, let alone the ocean, than make sure to check out 47 Meters Down, now available to own on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, and Digital HD.

You can find more rad reviews and other horror content at Shannon’s website Nightmarish Conjurings.

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