‘What Lurks Beneath’ Review
Stars: Ryan Giesen, Simon Phillips, Michael Swatton, Dela Reilley, Sienna Star | Written by Marcus Raul | Directed by Jamie Bailey
Much like airplanes, submarines are an excellent setting for films, especially in the horror and thriller genres. Not only are they inherently claustrophobic, but they also provide a great reason for the characters to stick around rather than run off to save themselves and get help. Also, as an added bonus, as long as you have access to a good simulator or a decommissioned craft, the HMCS Ojibwa in this case, they can be shot economically on one location.
That brings us to What Lurks Beneath, the new film from director/cinematographer/editor Jamie Bailey (Deinfluencer, The Mouse Trap) and writer Marcus Raul. The film opens with a familiar edge-of-World-War-III scenario in which the USS Titan, a nuclear sub under the command of Captain Banks (Ryan Giesen; Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy War, The Marsh), is the only craft with the position and payload to, if necessary, launch a strike at several Russian targets.
In addition to the Russian sub that’s stalking them, Banks also has to worry about the two British Intelligence officers on board, Brandon (Simon Phillips; End of Loyalty, Abracadabra and a Christmas Miracle) and Bradford (Michael Swatton; Butchers, Butchers Book Three: Bonesaw), whose actions are at best strange and at worst, alarming.
But what starts out as a Crimson Tide-style thriller takes a sharp turn into The Twilight Zone when they discover a naked woman, (Dela Reilley), in one of the torpedo tubes. How did she get there and why? Is she some sort of stowaway? A Russian agent? Nobody knows, and she, at least initially, isn’t talking.
While the Titan’s crew may not know what she is, the viewer does, as the film gives it away in its opening shots. Not that it would have been very hard to guess if they hadn’t. That still leaves the question of what her agenda is. And that’s a question that could be asked of some of the crew as well.
The problem, for those who were expecting a full-on horror film, is that What Lurks Beneath frequently feels like a military thriller with a supernatural element rather than a supernatural film with a military setting. It wouldn’t take a lot to write the mermaid out entirely and make the film a straight thriller based on the various personal and international conflicts at play.
Either way, the film is reasonably suspenseful for a good portion of its running time. Unfortunately, as it goes on, the improbable events and unanswered questions keep piling up until it becomes hard to take much of it seriously as the characters do implausible things for no apparent reason.
Just the fact that crew members are disappearing and nobody seems overly worried is enough to break one’s suspension of disbelief. It’s only compounded by the lack of explanation for several characters’ actions. As a result, by the time the film fades out without so much as a proper ending, I’d pretty much stopped caring what happened.
From a technical perspective, the film certainly looks good, with Bailey’s cinematography capturing the ship’s tight spaces and creating the cramped and claustrophobic feeling that such a setting should bring on. Unfortunately, the script never manages to fully take advantage of this. With the characters not showing any real fear or sense of being trapped, it was hard for me to be concerned either.
The cast does what they can with the material they’re given, but there’s a limit to how much even the best of actors can compensate for. And by the final act, Raul’s script is past that point. That especially applies to Sienna Star (Silent Bite, Abducted Off the Street: The Carlesha Gaither Story), who plays Petty Officer Nunnas. Her character’s arc is so unlikely that no matter how hard she tries, she can’t make it believable.
The main issue lies in the lack of focus. It’s as though the film couldn’t decide what it wanted to be, a political thriller, a war film, a creature feature, or a psychological horror story. It dabbles in each, but never fully commits to any of them. For instance, the Russian sub subplot comes and goes rather than being a constant source of tension. Instead of complementing the supernatural angle, it competes with it, creating a narrative that feels disjointed.
Additionally, the titular “what lurks beneath” ends up being far less menacing than one would hope. Her presence is initially mysterious and threatening. But as the plot unfolds, she becomes a weak supernatural twist on a subversive human character, with siren’s power to cloud the minds of men replacing a skilled operative’s way with words. Maybe if the budget had let her shape-shift, or provide for some on-screen kills, she would have been more intimidating.
Fans of military dramas may appreciate the tense early scenes, and the supernatural twist may appeal to those looking for something a little different. However, the execution will probably leave fans of both unsatisfied.
When all is said and done, What Lurks Beneath probably would have been better without its horror trimmings. Played straight, it might have worked as a military thriller. As filmed, it’s another project that starts off strong with an interesting premise, but then has no idea how to execute on it.
** 2/5
Quiver Distribution has released What Lurks Beneath to several digital platforms, including Tubi where I saw it. If you’re in the mood for something with a unique setting and don’t mind the commercials, it might be worth a watch there.
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