Rating: Summary: Definately got my money's worth! Review: This is a very good film. Have there been better? Probably, but his one is well written, acted, and filmed. It's a good looking film (if you know what I mean). We get to know the main characters and care about what happens to them. I can't think of another horror film set in war time either, so that made it even more interesting. A good film to watch in the dark, with a friend.
Rating: Summary: Predictable, but very well done thriller Review: I had wanted to see Below in the theatre but never had the chance. I finally rented it on DVD last weekend. Yes you know where the movie is going the whole time, but the one thing this movie has is mood. There are some pretty creepy scenes. Unlike some people,I loved the fact they kept the CGI ghost stuff to a minimum. That way it didn't get old. Anyway if you want to spend an hour and a half watching a pretty good movie that is worth the rental pick this up. If you like this movie I highly recommed "The Devil's Backbone". It is another "thriller, horror" movie that is more than meets the eye.
Rating: Summary: Great Genre Movie, But Something's Missing Review: A terrific setup, creepy atmosphere, fine acting, and a superb sound mix make for an entertaining genre flick. I saw it when it came out, but I left the theater unsatisfied. There's some kind of payoff missing from this movie. As much as I admire the look and feel of it and the swell direction, I wish it packed more of a whollop.
Rating: Summary: Great film and sharp DVD Review: Finally saw the David Twohy ("Pitch Black") thriller Below last night and was slightly disappointed, but ONLY because my expectations were so high. I thought it was great - not as good as Pitch Black, but a different kind of movie so a comparison isn't really fair.At first you get the feeling that the movie can't decide what it wants to be - war? mystery? ghost story? horror? submarine hunt? Then you realize that it WANTS to be all those in one. And it does a very good job of being ALL of them. There are some excellent, VERY brief visuals in the movie that contribute to the sense of unease and otherworldly. It's the best representation ever of the feeling that you can only catch a glimpse of a ghost out of the corner of your eye. The sound design (as with just about any submarine movie) is excellent and story-critical. The acting is top-calibre from a relatively obscure cast (Bruce Greenwood, Olivia Williams, Matthew Davis, Holt McCallany, Scott Foley, Jason Flemyng, Nick Chinlund). The film is co-scripted by Darren Aronofsky ("Pi", "Requiem for a Dream"). Director Twohy puts in a cameo appearance. The DVD exhibits one of the cleanest, clearest pictures I've ever seen (in my collection of 1000 DVDs). It rivals the transfer of a more obvious reference disc like "Monsters, Inc.". The sound, although not DTS, is terrific, and you'll want to turn up the volume so you can hear everything from the hull noises to whispering voices. The disc is presented in anamorphic widescreen at about 1.79:1 I highly recommend it!
Rating: Summary: A solid film that was unfairly dumped! Review: I don't know what Dimension was thinking when they just dumped this into theaters with barely any advertising and a very limited release. Granted, it's not a GREAT movie, but it is still a pretty solid one. It definitely deserved to get a wide release and should've gotten a lot more advertising. I doubt it would have been a HUGE hit, but I'm sure it would have done decent. It at least deserved a chance. I can't believe Dimension would [take advantage of ]such a quality movie. Below was pretty interesting and I was never really bored, which is definitely something considering I don't like submarine movies. I'm usually bored by them, but not this one. Of course, the slight horror element certainly helped, but even when it wasn't going the horror ruite it was still interesting. I really liked the atmosphere and the scenes when it would be pitch dark with only the blue ocean water as a light. Overall, I really enjoyed Below. It's definitely not GREAT, but still very good. Fans of submarine movies or horror movies should check it out. Grade: 7/10 or B or ***1/2 of *****
Rating: Summary: OK for rental Review: First, let me comment on the DVD... great picture, no real problems with contrast despite the fact this is a dark film, and good quality audio.... About the film... I was disappointed. The submarine is accurate, but beyond that this film is not much of a military thriller. The military plot is purely secondary to the ghost story involved in the film, and in my opinion the ghost story was predictable. Regarding the military story, a US submarine is on patrol in the Atlantic when it is ordered to pick up survivors from a torpedoed boat. One of the survivors is a woman, something that is supposed to bring bad luck to the boat crew. Sure enough, things start going wrong (to strange) almost immediately after the people are rescued. Regarding the military plot, the boat is stalked by a German destroyer for a long period of time. At one point, the sub is resting on the bottom of the sea trying to avoid detection. Where is this? I don't know one place in the open Atlantic that is shallow enough, and the boat is supposed to be within a few days of England. At another point, there are divers outside the sub trying to fix a problem, and in the very distance you can see flashes and concussions from depth charges... well, if the charges were close enough to see they would kill the divers, and if they were so far away you could see them but not hear them. So much for realism.... OK, its a movie. You should suspend your disbelief. Regarding the ghost story, I thought it was strictly boiler plate. This is a story that could happen almost anyplace, and the sub was chosen just for its novelty. It does add a certain amount of claustrophobic atmosphere, but beyond that I found the story a little predictable. Worth a rental, but not spectacular.... trust me, while the acting is good and the atmosphere and setting a bit novel you have seen this film before, just with a different skin.
Rating: Summary: Solid Review: I picked this up at the Video store just looking for something to watch and was suprised it was soo good! it was kinda spooky and I thought the plot twist was going somewhere else. I thought it was original and recommend it. I'm thinking of adding it do my DVD collection. I never heard of it being released in the theaters.The special effects and the sound are sharp.Take a look!
Rating: Summary: Excellent Cross Genre WWII Submarine Film Review: I saw Below...when it first opened in theaters. This was not a simple task considering the studio dumped the film therefore limiting its release and I had great difficulty finding a theater in driving distance. However, all my trouble was rewarded once I saw the film. First off the WWII submarine aspect is very historically accurate(much better than U-571), having been to see the WWII sub at the museum at Battle Ship Cove in Fall River Mass., and doing some research on the web I can vouch for the autheticity of the sets. Second the film is a military thriller, an action/adventure, a mystery, and horror film all rolled into one. Due to the combination of these genres this movie has a uniqueness not topped by anything I had seen in 2002 or this year so far. The acting is great, the dialogue is of the period and so much fun, and the story is totally ingrossing. It was such a shame that Dimmension studios dumped Below, after all it would have knocked GhostShip right out of the water (no pun inteneded). The time for the release was perfect right around Halloween but due to little or no advertsing and studio support a great entertaining film was missed by so many people. I only heard about the movie from reading Entertainment weekly and even then I had to look for the trailer online. What a shame. Kudos to Director David Twohy for making an excellent film and making a website for the movie out of his own pocket because Mirimax and Dimmesion would not...Well I hope this review helps those interested in something a little more substantial than the usual movie studio trip Hollywood has been feeding us in recent years.
Rating: Summary: Not As Suspenseful as K-19, But Great Thriller Nonetheless! Review: I wanted to catch this flick when it was at the theatres, but missed my chance and it went away far too quickly. Decided to pick it up based on the plot and the fact that Twohy was directing and am very pleased that I did. Great thriller and quite creepy in it's presentation. Thought that the ending could have been a bit better, but it's generally a tough thing to get an awesome ending these days. Also, the one thing that I really had trouble with, was the fact that for a sub, this one sure was pretty immaculate and sterile. Needed more noise from the steel, that sort of thing. Subs generally groan and expand/shrink in varying water temps. But, that is a bit nitpicky for this definitely must see rental!!! Pick it up, you will be glad that you did!!
Rating: Summary: A REAL THRILLER Review: I can't say enough good things about this film. I found this film interesting from start to finish. I think what makes it so creepy is your never really sure if what is going on is real, or imagined by people who things to hide. And are being driven by their conscious. Left my wife spooked, gave us a lot to talk about after we had finished watching it. A good addition to any one's film collection. Excellent effects by the way. And watch for a mirror that no one would want to confront.
|