Finding something to watch on streaming can be a drag. Even if services are getting better at knowing what to recommend for you, it’s easy to get trapped in a cycle of endless scrolling while searching for the next media to binge. However, if you’re in the mood for something spooky, a movie from “Twilight” alumnus Kristen Stewart that can definitely be worth a watch, and there’s even more than one way to check it out.
Brought to you by the same director who brought us 2014’s “The Signal,” the 2020 film “Underwater” is going to be good for anyone interested in some “Alien”-like horror set deep below the ocean. Though critic and audience reactions are varied, it’s got enough terrifying action to thrill an audience, especially those with an affinity for B-movie flair.
What’s interesting about “Underwater” is that production for the film ended in 2017, though it was trapped in a state of limbo due to the merger between Disney and 20th Century Fox. It’s also interesting to note that Stewart conquered her fears for this film, as director William Eubank admitted to The Hollywood Reporter that she despised water. The director states, “She [Stewart] said, ‘I love this movie. I love Norah’s character, but I’m gonna be frank: I hate water. So, I wanna do this.’ It was almost like a challenge to her.”
Kristen Stewart goes deep in Underwater
We’ve been keeping an eye on Stewart’s semi-recent theatrical output, including the 2024 film “Love Me,” which may give folks an idea of where AI programs like ChatGPT are heading, and her 2024 film “Love Lies Bleeding”. However, when we found Stewart channeling her inner Sigourney Weaver for 2020’s “Underwater,” we couldn’t help but notice.
“Underwater” focuses on the Kepler 822, a drilling and research operation facility working at the bottom of the Mariana Trench. After a mysterious earthquake destroys the majority of the facility, Norah (Kristen Stewart) must lead a small group of survivors across the ocean floor in search of rescue. However, the group quickly realizes it may have been more than an earthquake that destroyed their refuge. Along with Stewart, “Underwater” stars T.J. Miller, Vincent Cassel, Mamoudou Athie, and John Gallagher Jr., among others.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 48% Tomatometer score and a 60% Popcornmeter score. However, despite the mixed reviews, the film was a 2021 nominee at the Fangoria Chainsaw Awards for Best Wide-Release Film. In a 2021 review for Discussing Film, critic Nicolas Delgadillo states, “For the type of movies, particularly of the horror genre, that movie studios usually dump into theaters in January — this is a surprisingly solid one.” The film is currently streaming on Hulu, as well as YouTube TV and Fubo.
