Below

Inspired by the vintage thrillers of Val Lewton and Jacques Tourneur, Below is a superbly crafted spookfest primed for cult-favorite status. As he did with The Arrival and Pitch Black, director David Twohy revitalizes a B-movie staple--in this case, the World War II submarine thriller--by turning it into a nerve-wracking funhouse of smoke and mirrors, where chilling visions tease the brain and stir paranoia among a close-knit group of terrified characters. When a U.S. sub takes on three survivors from a sinking British ship, its captain (Bruce Greenwood) uncovers secrets while concealing his own. As the sub's recent history unfolds, its crew is increasingly haunted by ghostly images, fleeting and subliminal, while the threat of German attack looms ominously overhead. More of a mood piece than a truly satisfying thriller, Below favors tense atmosphere over cohesive plotting, but it's so visually captivating, and so tautly acted by a fine ensemble cast, that its narrative flaws are easily forgiven. --Jeff Shannon

Movie Details

Cast: Bruce Greenwood, Matthew Davis, Chuck Ellsworth, Crispin Layfield, Holt McCallany, Jonathan Hartman, Dexter Fletcher, Sebastian Knapp, Nick Chinlund, Andrew Howard, Christopher Fairbank
MPAA Rating: R
Running time: 105 min
DVD Aspect Ratios: 1.85:1

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DVD Features:

Audio commentary by director David Twohy and the cast

Deleted scenes with optional commentary

Featurette: "The Process"

International rating:

Europe: 15
Australia: M

DVD International release dates:
North America: Mar 11, 03

VHS International release dates:
North America: Feb 3, 04