Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- claustrophobic
- eerie
- foreboding
- late night horror viewing
- submarine thriller marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found it a stylish, creepy, claustrophobic submarine thriller, though some viewed its dialogue and increasingly serious supernatural premise as artificial or silly.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The U.S.S. Tiger Shark's narrow corridors and confinement make the submarine itself the film's primary pressure chamber.
The crew experiences sensory delusions and mental deceptions while confronting a possible ghost aboard the vessel.
The rescue mission takes place during World War II submarine warfare, but its central threat extends beyond ordinary military peril.
The film repeatedly emphasizes the submarine's tight passageways and limited interior spaces as sources of sensory and emotional pressure.
Films like Below, and why
The Last Voyage
shared claustrophobic supernatural horror, confined maritime setting, and escalating psychological dread
The Fog
shared haunted-vessel mystery, ghostly intrusion, and atmospheric maritime suspense
Das Boot
shared underwater confinement, wartime peril, and tense submarine thriller mechanics
The Thing
shared claustrophobic horror, unreliable perception, and paranoia within an isolated group
Movie Details
- Director
- David Twohy
- Release Date
- 2002-08-11
- Runtime
- 105 min
- Rating
- 6.0 / 10 (550)
Cast
- Bruce Greenwood
- Matthew Davis
- Holt McCallany
- Olivia Williams
- Jason Flemyng
- Zach Galifianakis
- Scott Foley
- Andrew Howard
- Nick Chinlund
- Dexter Fletcher
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, MGM Plus, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Below about?
- A World War II rescue mission aboard a haunted submarine descends into claustrophobic paranoia and supernatural dread.
- What is Below like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Below as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Below violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Below as moderate.
- What did critics think of Below?
- Critics broadly found it a stylish, creepy, claustrophobic submarine thriller, though some viewed its dialogue and increasingly serious supernatural premise as artificial or silly.
- Which films are like Below?
- Films with a similar feel include The Last Voyage, The Fog, Das Boot, and The Thing.
- How long is Below?
- Below runs 105 minutes.
- Where can I watch Below?
- In United States, Below streams on fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, MGM Plus, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel.
