Two sisters (Mandy Moore and Claire Holt), on vacation in Mexico, go cage diving to see sharks up close and personal. The cable breaks on the cage which sends them to the ocean floor. Now the two young women must find a way to escape with their air supplies dwindling and great white sharks surrounding them.
47 Meters Down is the second shark related survival horror film in as many years. Last year we had the thriller The Shallows which was one of my top 5 films. This film is directed by Johannes Roberts and written by Roberts and Ernest Riera.
Like The Shallows, 47 Meters Down is another claustrophobic survival thriller. The film’s weakness however comes from the fact that you really don’t sense any fear or dread. The two main leads do admirable jobs, but it’s simply a case of seeing and not experiencing. That’s not to say it doesn’t have any charm and it was entertaining. I just don’t feel it took full advantage of its scenario.
If you are sensitive to the sort of bloody nature that would be in a shark attack film, this is not quite as visceral as The Shallows or even Jaws. Also the film clocks in under 90 minutes so it does move at a brisk pace and wastes no time getting in the water.
My biggest issue comes with the film’s 3rd act. A particular element is introduced but once it’s followed up on, I wish it hadn’t because I loved everything that came before it. This may or may not bother some, but it did for me.
47 Meters Down is an entertaining enough survivor film, its just not that thrilling. It doesn’t take full advantage of its premise and therefore the illusion of danger isn’t as prevalent and the viewer simply feels like a spectator despite being competently made.
Final Rating (2.0/4.0)
