I find it ironic how despite existing on a planet where pretty much every living thing originated in the ocean, one of humanity’s most widespread fears is thalassophobia – the fear of the deep ocean. Whether it’s some form of genetic memory that continues to haunt our species or a natural reaction to witnessing one of the deadliest ecosystems in the world, it’s no surprise storytellers have been taking advantage of this fear for millennia.
And while Jaws obviously dominates the conversation when it comes to underwater horror in film, there are still some intrepid filmmakers that dare to explore other kinds of sea-borne thrills. For example, Deep Blue Sea director Renny Harlin’s upcoming Deep Water looks like it’s going to take us on another roller-coaster ride directly into shark-infested waters. However, since there’s still no official release date, we’ve decided to come up with a list highlighting six other deep-sea thrillers that you can watch in the meantime.
As usual, don’t forget to comment below with your own deep-sea favorites if you think we missed a particularly thrilling one.
Now, onto the list…
6. Below (2002)
Metal coffins where the entire crew is only a few inches away from certain death in an uncaring sea – it’s hard to think of a location better suited for a horror story than a submarine. That’s likely what David Twohy had in mind when coming up with his next genre-bending thriller after the success of Pitch Black, and though his follow-up feature Below wouldn’t reach the same commercial and critical success of the first Riddick film, it’s still one hell of a spooky time.
Following the crew of a World War II navy submarine as they find themselves dealing with paranormal activity while navigating hostile waters, this unconventional ghost story is best experienced by going in knowing as little about it as possible. And while the original theatrical release was sabotaged by Dimension Films when Twohy refused to approve a PG-13 re-edit, his original R-rated vision is still worth seeking out on streaming over two decades later.
5. Sphere (1998)
Jurassic Park may have convinced Hollywood that Michael Crichton’s novels were a potential blockbuster goldmine, but after forgettable flicks like Timeline and the unfairly maligned Congo, it didn’t take long for studios – and audiences – to leave his more esoteric work behind. However, there was one under-appreciated adaptation that I think deserves revisiting, and that would be Barry Levinson’s 1998 thriller, Sphere.
Telling the story of a group of scientists who descend into a high-tech underwater habitat in order to study what they believe to be an advanced spacecraft of extraterrestrial origin, Sphere takes viewers on a mind-bending ride that I think will appeal to fans of hard sci-fi who don’t mind some heavy-handed exposition. And if you need some extra convincing, the star-studded cast (featuring the likes of Dustin Hoffman, Sharon Stone, Liev Schreiber and even Samuel L. Jackson) is already worth the price of admission.
4. Mermaids: The Body Found (2011)
At first glance, Sid Bennett’s infamous Mermaids “documentary” may not seem like an obvious choice for this list, but if you allow yourself to get caught up in this elaborate hoax, it actually functions as a pretty high-effort found footage / mockumentary thriller. And while I’ve already written about how presenting the experience as “real” was an unethical move, there’s no denying that the feature-length special (and its equally entertaining sequel) tap into some primal fears about the deep.
From grainy footage of so-called “encounters” to eerie mermaid designs that could have come straight out of a Lovecraft adaptation, I think it’s only fair to bring up this made-for-TV oddity when discussing deep-sea thrillers.
And if you’d like to see a slightly more believable televised hoax, I’d also recommend checking out Simon George’s The Cannibal in the Jungle.
3. Underwater (2020)
Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox wasn’t just questionable from an anti-monopoly point of view, but it also resulted in the company sabotaging some of Fox’s completed projects. William Eubank’s criminally under-appreciated Underwater was one such project, being released with little fanfare in early 2020.
An Alien-inspired romp following Kristen Stewart as an engineer in a futuristic drilling and research station at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, Underwater almost immediately forces its charismatic ensemble of workers and scientists to hell and back as a mysterious accident traps everyone at the literal bottom of the ocean. Oh, and did I mention that they’re being hunted by Lovecraftian abominations?
2. Deep Blue Sea (1999)
Full disclosure: I have a deep personal connection with this film as my father and I would sit down to watch the entire thing every single time it played on TV – something that happened a lot during the 2000s. However, even looking back on it as an adult with a slightly more critical perspective, I still think that Renny Harlin’s B-movie on steroids kicks all kinds of ass.
From the absurd premise making the film feel more like a classic sci-fi monster movie rather than a mere Jaws rip-off to the genuinely likable cast of characters that makes you cheer for the humans instead of the sharks (I still bring up LL Cool J’s advice about making the perfect omelet in casual conversation), there are countless reasons to keep coming back to this weird little film about super-intelligent predators.
And this is precisely why we’re excited for both Deep Water and Harlin’s upcoming The Strangers trilogy.
1. The Abyss (1989)
James Cameron has had a life-long fascination with the mysteries of the ocean, but it was only in 1989 that The Abyss showed us the true extent of this obsession. Plagued by an infamously grueling shoot and studio meddling that was only resolved with the release of a “special edition” nearly a decade later, it’s honestly a miracle that the finished film is as good as it is.
Telling the story of a SEAL team that embarks on a mission to investigate the mysterious sinking of a submarine after it encounters an unidentified object, this sci-fi classic is the absolute gold standard for deep-sea thrillers and first contact stories alike. Featuring (mostly) believable science and great performances, I think it’s safe to say that it’s the best film on this list.
