Below (2002)

Strange happenings occur on a WW II submarine.

Director:

David Twohy

Writers:

Lucas Sussman, Darren Aronofsky,

Stars:

Matthew Davis, Bruce Greenwood, Holt McCallany

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Matthew Davis	...	Odell (as Matt Davis)
Bruce Greenwood	...	Brice
Holt McCallany	...	Loomis
Dexter Fletcher	...	Kingsley
Nick Chinlund	...	Chief
Olivia Williams	...	Claire
Scott Foley	...	Coors
Andrew Howard	...	Hoag
Christopher Fairbank	...	Pappy
Chuck Ellsworth	...	Navy Pilot
Crispin Layfield	...	Navy Lookout
Jonathan Hartman	...	Schillings
Sebastian Knapp	...	Sonar #1
Max Casali	...	Air Manifold
Alexis Conran	...	Helmsman

Storyline

In the dark silence of the sea during World War II, the submarine U.S.S. Tiger Shark prowls on what should be a routine rescue mission. But for the shell-shocked crew, trapped together in the sub's narrow corridors and constricted spaces, this is about to become a journey into the sensory delusions, mental deceptions and runaway fear that lurk just below the surface of the ocean and deep inside the human psyche.

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Plot Keywords:

submarine | bare butt | shower | diver | friendly fire | 

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Taglines:

Six hundred feet beneath the surface terror runs deep

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 October 2002 (Singapore)

Also Known As:

Proteus

Filming Locations:

Lake Michigan, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$113,022 (Hong Kong) (14 March 2003)

Gross:

$192,654 (Hong Kong) (21 March 2003)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dimension Films, Protozoa Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Originally Frank Sinatra singing "I'll Be Seeing You" was supposed to be mysteriously playing on the record player. When the studio had difficulties obtaining the rights, the song was replaced by 'Benny Goodman''s "Sing Sing Sing (With a Swing)".

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Goofs

Flooded batteries release hydrogen because as they reach full state of charge, some of the energy goes to split the water into hydrogen and oxygen instead of causing the chemical changes that charging involves. A discharging battery does not release hydrogen. Therefore, the only time there would be a hydrogen buildup is when they were on the surface charging the batteries. They would have other problems - like CO2 build-up - but hydrogen building up to explosive levels? No.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Brice: [hands coordinates to Loomis]
Lt. Loomis: This is almost a day behind us, sir.
Lt. Loomis: Well who are they? Americans, Brits, Italians? It doesn't even say.
Brice: Well I think we can assume they're friendly, Mr. Loomis. Besides, it doesn't appear to be a suggestion, does it.

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Crazy Credits

The only thing in the opening credits is the movie's title. Everything else is only shown after the movie is over.

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Connections

Featured in An Unfinished Life (2005)

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Soundtracks

"Sing, Sing, Sing (With A Swing)"
Written by Louis Prima
Performed by Benny Goodman

User Reviews

Surprisingly suspenseful and atmospheric supernatural WW2 thriller.

I enjoyed 'Below' a LOT more than I anticipated. It's a very similar movie in theme to the disappointing 'The Bunker', apart from the obvious difference of being set on a submarine of course. But unlike 'The Bunker' this movie has interesting characters that a)you can tell apart, and b) actually care about their fate. The script, direction and acting are all superior, and it's very effective in conveying the tense atmosphere of a sub in WW2, despite not being made on a mega-budget. I like David Twohy's debut 'Pitch Black', and I like 'Below' even more. It's not only a very well made suspense movie, but also a good war one. I hope Twohy fulfills his promise in projects to come.