“Do I really want to watch one girl struggle to get a rock off another for an hour, thirty minutes?” Was the question I asked myself before hitting the play button. But then, I was kinda intrigued by its premise - a deep-sea survival thriller with only a few characters and minimal dialogue and I badly wanted to see how well the director could work with it. Survival films, when done right, can be intense, claustrophobic and emotionally raw no matter how minimal it seems. Well, after my decision to give it a go, I hoped I was going to be gripped.
Synopsis
Directed by Maximilian Erlenwein, this movie follows two sisters, May (Louisa Krause) and Drew (Sophie Lowe), who go on a freediving trip to an isolated, breathtaking underwater location. What had started as a fun bonding experience soon turns into a nightmare when a rockslide traps May deep underwater, leaving her stuck beneath debris with only a limited supply of air.
My Subjective Review
Visually, this movie is stunning. The underwater cinematography is easily one of the film’s biggest strengths, talking about the serene, eerie and at times hauntingly beautiful. The ocean feels like its own character: vast, indifferent and dangerously unpredictable. It perfectly amplifies the sisters’ isolation and helplessness.
The performances are solid although May’s constant flashbacks while trapped pissed me off because I honestly didn’t and still don’t get how it relates to anything. Drew(Sophie Lowe), in particular, carries much of the emotional weight. Her rising panic, exhaustion and desperation was palpable. Well, both actresses do a fantastic job of making you feel every second of their ordeal.
Now, while the minimalist approach is all adorbs and fun, it slowed the pacing too much, especially in the middle section. This is me going back to May’s backstory, revealed through brief flashbacks. Those flashbacks were too thin and did not add as much emotional depth as they could have. I found myself wishing the bond between the sisters had been fleshed out more before the crisis began. Instead of putting out a 1hr 30min crisis for people with actual brains to watch.
Another minor gripe is that while the stakes are extremely high, the tension isn’t always as sharp as it could be. There were moments when the film’s meditative tone undercuts the sense of urgency you’d expect from a life-or-death situation. Tell me why May was so calm and turning ‘motivational speaker’ knowing fully well that if Drew were to take those advice, ha! she’d have ended up food for sharks.
Anyway, it is a beautifully shot, quietly intense survival thriller that leans heavily on atmosphere and performance rather than action. Definitely not for everyone, especially those expecting constant adrenaline but if you enjoy survival dramas that focus on emotional endurance and resilience, it’s worth diving into.
Rating? 3.5/5