PopHorror Let's Get Scared
When I first saw the trailer for 47 Meters Down, I was really stoked to see the film. One thing, however, that did bring down my spirits was learning that film had actually been released last year but had been pulled from theaters after only a week. Typically, I don’t see that as a good sign. Some of the people that had seen it said it was a good film, so what was the problem? I had to see for myself and held my breath, hoping for the best. So what did I think? Let’s discuss!
https://youtu.be/VZS4bT2d2Cw
Originally titled In The Deep, 47 Meters Down was set to release straight to DVD and VOD on August 2, 2016. The film was then sold by Dimension to Entertainment Studios and renamed 47 Meters Down. This was actually the new working title and the film was once again set for release on June 16, 2017. Directed by Johannes Roberts (The Other Side of the Door), this underwater flick is projected to make $5 million for its opening weekend, and with it being a summer-themed movie, that goal actually is possible. The film currently holds a 51% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, not certifying it fresh or rotten. In this rare case, I actually agree.
Official synopsis of 47 Meters Down:
Two sisters vacationing in Mexico are trapped in a shark cage at the bottom of the ocean. With less than an hour of oxygen left and great white sharks circling nearby, they must fight to survive.
What Works?
The cinematography in 47 Meters Down is beautiful. Mandy Moore as Lisa perfectly plays the inexperienced, sheltered sister and Clair Holt was wonderful as Kate, the wild, risk taking sister. Having a sister of my own, I could somewhat relate to their relationship, so that worked for me. Also hearing Moore drop the F bomb for the first time in my life was pretty cool and not expected. The idea of being stuck under water is the most terrifying aspect of this film. I also liked the element of not knowing for certain if the owner of the cage boat, Taylor (Matthew Modine: Stranger Things Netflix series) was really shady or a good guy.
What doesn’t work?
The sharks. I understand the whole “we need to add another element of terror to being trapped underwater in a cage and a reason for not being able to swim to the top” way of thinking, but the sharks in this film were absolutely lame. I seriously blinked and missed someone being eaten by a shark… that is the kind of lame I am talking about. There is also a lot of predictability in 47 Meters Down. For example: “Don’t drop that camera…” Camera obviously gets dropped. Insert eye roll here. I also didn’t like the fact that Moore’s character decided to do a sketchy, off-the-grid shark cage dive just because her ex-boyfriend broke up with her and called her boring.
Final Thoughts
If you are going to see 47 Meters Down for the shark aspect of the film, you’ll probably want to pass. If you want to see it for the claustrophobic, underwater element, then this movie may work for you. I feel as though it was more depressing than anything else. It’s kind of a “fish out of water” film (no pun intended). I’m still in the air if I cared for the ending or not. It’s really just sad. The movie just lacked for me and I didn’t find any portion of the story after they get trapped believable whatsoever. Last summer, I reviewed The Shallows and this summer 47 Meters Down probably falls 47 meters down from that. It’s about a 5 out a 10 for me. Meh.
