Kristen Stewart Battles Subterranean Monsters In 'Underwater'

Horror films are always trying to find new ways to scare audiences. They go to extreme lengths to make sure they exploit your darkest fears. Some say it's the monster that makes those movies successful, but I believe that is not the case. For me, its all about location when it comes to making a memorable tale of terror. The places I’m talking about are the ones that leave you feeling trapped, desperate, and isolated. Whether it's being stuck on a space vessel with a Xenomorph, or running through the woods at Crystal Lake, the setting is key. It is inevitably—for me, anyway—the factor that will decide if the feature is a nightmare-inducing affair, or if it's destined for the bottom of the bargain-bin. One film that looks like it will take audiences into the dark depths of the ocean for a truly horrifying experience is the film, Underwater. This one takes place 5,000 miles away from land, and then adds insult to injury by descending seven miles to the bottom of the ocean. And, of course, the crew gets way more than they bargained for, trying to pull off this deep sea expedition.

The bottom of the ocean is quiet and serene—that is, until an earthquake hits, and I mean hits hard. The unfortunate crew members of this expedition are rattled as the rooms begin to shake. All of a sudden, the walls start to cave in, and water runs rampant throughout the facility. It's pretty obvious that staying there is not an option, and the poor souls onboard must find a way to make it to the surface before it's too late. The plan is to make their way to the other end of the laboratory. But, the lack of oxygen poses a problem, prompting them to don scuba suits that look like they were made for a mission to Mars. These fatigues will give them some protection from the elements, as well as provide them with the air they need to breathe. But they do limit mobility, so it will be a long, slow walk to reach their destination. Surviving both the aftermath of a massive earthquake and the underwater depths seems like it would be a panic-inducing experience on its own, but something else is lurking in the depths that these poor souls should really fear. This quake not only ravaged their facility, but it also cracked open the Earth and unleashed something genuinely menacing.

This underwater horror experience stars Charlie's Angels’s actress, Kristen Stewart, who leads the way in this movie as Norah Price, a member of the marine research team. Alongside her in this deep sea trek for survival is a pretty solid list of supporting players. Iron Fist’s Jessica Henwick is onboard, as well as Deadpool’s T.J. Miller. Westworld’s Vincent Cassel looks to be playing the man in charge of the ill-fated crew who must lead his people to safety. And rounding out this star-studded affair deep beneath the surface are John Gallagher Jr. and Mamoudou Athie. Helming the project is William Eubank, who is notoriously known for being the director of the 2014 sci-fi film, The Signal. These talented individuals have brought to life a suspense-filled terror ride that feels a lot like an aquatic Alien.

Underwater reminds me of films like Leviathan, The Abyss, and Sphere. The latter two I quite enjoy, and continue to rewatch when time permits. Like those films, the one thing they get right is the monster, and Underwater continues that trend of keeping the subterranean creature hidden as much as possible, building the tension as it gets closer to its victims. The brief shots we see of it are downright terrifying, and the mystery behind it makes this below-sea-level nightmare one that horror fans will not want to miss. The not knowing is both the worst and best parts of these films, and I, for one, am very excited to see what this thing actually is. It could be an extraterrestrial, a prehistoric sea creature awakened from its century-long hibernation, the giant squid from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea attempting a comeback, or, heck, it could even be the dreaded Cthulhu for all we know. Whatever it is, it's got my attention, and I will be checking this horror flick out when it splashes into theaters on January 10, 2020.