Submerged (2015) Directed by Steven C. Miller
When a movie has an original concept it's already halfway there. This movie however tries to be a whole lot more than its concept allows, which works in its disadvantage.
This sounds like an interesting enough and very straightforward movie in which a limo hits the water and its passengers have to survive and find a way out. And really, I would have been fine with a movie that focused 90 minutes on this idea and concept alone but the movie soon turns into something totally different. The flashbacks seem like an interesting idea at first, until it starts to become obvious what it's all leading up to. In a way the flashback form a more important and prominent storyline that the actual main storyline of having a bunch of people trapped in a limousine in dangerous, cold, dark water. It's an approach that isn't working out too well for the suspense of the movie and rather than adding to the mystery it makes the movie more unrealistic and far fetched than anything else really.
And maybe that's the most disappointing thing about the movie; it at first sight seems like it will be a good, tense, mysterious, claustrophobic and original movie but it's neither of those things, at least not to a strong and good enough extent. There is never a good sense of danger or panic as the characters get trapped underwater water, while still being inside a limo. The characters never seem busy enough trying to survive or all that concerned about their safety. They have 'bigger' and more 'serious' things to worry about it seems but I really wasn't all that interested in it.
The movie needlessly makes things hard for itself by over complicating its story and by throwing 2 or 3 too many plot twists and surprises. Instead of making things more engaging, suspenseful and surprising it actually makes things less interesting or effective to watch. Like I said, it goes at the expense of its credibility, which all is a real shame, considering this movie its potential, when looking at its main concept.
It's also really due to the camera-work and fast paced editing of the movie that none of the suspenseful and claustrophobic moments of the movie ever work out very well. It works disorientating and the fast pace of the movie results in it that it can never build any of the tension or mystery up in an effective enough way.
The movie also goes on for a bit too long. It just doesn't feel right for the movie to be set outside of the limo as well, without giving away too many about the final few minutes. I really do feel and believe that this movie should have embraced its simple and straightforward main concept, rather than making things needlessly overcomplicated by adding in too many characters, flashbacks and therefore also too many side-plots and random twists.
It's nothing too terrible but there clearly are more suspenseful and overall effective thrillers to watch out there.
5/10
Watch trailer
This sounds like an interesting enough and very straightforward movie in which a limo hits the water and its passengers have to survive and find a way out. And really, I would have been fine with a movie that focused 90 minutes on this idea and concept alone but the movie soon turns into something totally different. The flashbacks seem like an interesting idea at first, until it starts to become obvious what it's all leading up to. In a way the flashback form a more important and prominent storyline that the actual main storyline of having a bunch of people trapped in a limousine in dangerous, cold, dark water. It's an approach that isn't working out too well for the suspense of the movie and rather than adding to the mystery it makes the movie more unrealistic and far fetched than anything else really.
And maybe that's the most disappointing thing about the movie; it at first sight seems like it will be a good, tense, mysterious, claustrophobic and original movie but it's neither of those things, at least not to a strong and good enough extent. There is never a good sense of danger or panic as the characters get trapped underwater water, while still being inside a limo. The characters never seem busy enough trying to survive or all that concerned about their safety. They have 'bigger' and more 'serious' things to worry about it seems but I really wasn't all that interested in it.
The movie needlessly makes things hard for itself by over complicating its story and by throwing 2 or 3 too many plot twists and surprises. Instead of making things more engaging, suspenseful and surprising it actually makes things less interesting or effective to watch. Like I said, it goes at the expense of its credibility, which all is a real shame, considering this movie its potential, when looking at its main concept.
It's also really due to the camera-work and fast paced editing of the movie that none of the suspenseful and claustrophobic moments of the movie ever work out very well. It works disorientating and the fast pace of the movie results in it that it can never build any of the tension or mystery up in an effective enough way.
The movie also goes on for a bit too long. It just doesn't feel right for the movie to be set outside of the limo as well, without giving away too many about the final few minutes. I really do feel and believe that this movie should have embraced its simple and straightforward main concept, rather than making things needlessly overcomplicated by adding in too many characters, flashbacks and therefore also too many side-plots and random twists.
It's nothing too terrible but there clearly are more suspenseful and overall effective thrillers to watch out there.
5/10
Watch trailer
