I love me some horror, and I love me some submarine movies. Put them together, and you have likely made the sugar-filled twinkie of horror movies. The setting of a submarine is one of the most claustrophobic you can get. Deep underwater, a small crew, isolated and alone. Squishing that creamy filling of fear, ghosts, and death inside it justs adds to the tasty treat that will eventually make your heart stop. By that, I mean the sugar and the fear. With the movie Below, fear-filled confectionary is exactly what you get.
Below follows the story of the USS Wild Dog as they move to rescue survivors of a U-boat torpedoing of a hospital ship. They take on three passengers, a female doctor, British Navigator, and a patient. After they submerge, the sub begins to be stalked by an unknown enemy ship that seems to be able to follow them wherever they go. If being hunted is not enough, the crew is starting to hear thumps and noises, as if the Wild Dog itself is trying to get them caught. Will any of the sub's crew survive, or is this voyage doomed to the bottom of the sea?
I really like this movie. It can get very hokey at times, but there is something about the setting, the cast of characters, and the whole horror angle that works for me. Being written by Darren Aronofsky probably helps with having an engaging story and likable characters as well. The film does have a bit of a reliance on jump scares, the fear still most emanates from the feeling of isolation and dread. The sailors know they live in a bubble. One that has been broken by outsiders. They are mentally fighting against the fear of invasion from outsiders. Which is just added to the effect of having nowhere to escape to. The unrelenting ship following them has a ghostly way of finding the sub wherever it goes, which adds to the feeling of constant dread. Every time the crew feels the slightest bit safe, their pursuers show up, dogging them at every turn. The only time a respite comes is when they lose power. But even then, they are haunted by sounds on the hull and ghostly images and occurrences. Everything comes to a head as the female doctor begins to unravel a mystery that encompasses everything that has happened to her, the sub, and her hospital ship.
Below is highly entertaining. If you like the claustrophobic feel of submarine movies and love yourself some horror, you will most likely enjoy this. Some things work better than others, but in the end, Below is an easy recommendation for me to give.