Retro Rewatch: David Twohy's Below

Retro Rewatch is an ongoing editorial that takes a look into certain films, conventions, crazes, and characters of the horror genre years after their heyday. It is an effort to try and put the magnifying glass up to the horror world with the much needed luxuries of time and perspective applied in order to fully understand the impact and social significance of these projects/themes/ideas (if any). So for this installment of Retro Rewatch, I present to you a much underappreciated ghost thriller with the film “Below”.

Most of you probably missed Below when it was first released back in 2002 in the shadow of a much more popular WWII submarine flick called U-571.  That’s completely understandable, and has probably caused you to go to this very day without ever seeing the movie.  Add that to the fact that it was dumped by Dimension films and went straight to DVD with no marketing and you have yourself a little film that doesn’t get the love it deserves.  This all happened despite the fact that it was directed by David Twohy, who also directed Pitch Black (which was a pretty big hit at the time that this film went into production).  Add that to the pen of Darren Aronofsky who co-wrote the film, but didn’t direct it due to the fact that he was busy directing Requiem for a Dream.  That seems like a few really good people working behind the scenes… so what happened?

I may fall into one of the smallest horror Sub sub-genres (HA!) which includes gore, a World War II setting, submarines (ha, you see how that thing I just laughed at and now it makes sense?  Yeah, you get it.  You’re awesome, smart, and attractive.)  and ghosts.  Now, do you see how that can appeal to a very limited group of people?  Usually with a film like this, at least one of two big names would be cast to spice up the pot and put a face on the poster, however that wasn’t the case here.  The biggest name was Matthew Davis, who was in Legally Blonde and Blue Crush (which I guess was a big deal at the time?) but has since gone on to be in Bloodrayne AND S. Darko.  This may be one of the reasons the movie was dumped, because it was essentially unmarketable, but as we all know, that doesn’t necessarily make it a bad movie.

So I’ve explained why this movie didn’t do so well, so I think now may be a good time to give yall a little synopsis.  On the Tiger Shark, a US submarine in service in WWII went on what was supposed to be a routine rescue mission, pulling three Allies out of the water after a British vessel was destroyed.  Once these new crew members come on board, strange occurrences start to happen causing terror and death amongst the crew.  So, essentially, there is a haunted WWII submarine that is slowly killing off the crew of the ship for reasons that remain untold for most of the feature.  I’ll be honest with you, if the combination of the words “haunting” and “WWII submarine” don’t interest you at all, then this isn’t the movie for you.  I on the other hand love the idea of setting the film in WWII

Not only does it make sense that people are actively engaging in underwater naval combat during WWII, but the fact that you add ghosts into the mix makes this feature something special.  Even today (in America at least) WWII is seen as one of the most massive military, economical, and societal changing event that has ever happened.  Stories from the front lines hold some kind of mythic quality, causing that guy that used to be the grocer at the edge of town, who has now cleared out an enemy machine gun nest all by himself.  These stories, though real seem like something out of an action film or a comic book and also evoke some kind of nostalgia going back to a time when the world was in peril, and in time, began to heal itself.  By adding the fire side element of telling ghost stories with the enclosed (haunted house) environment of a WWII submarine, you have a story that can be made that much more believable, i.e. sitting amongst a bunch of hard to conceptualize stories of heroics and sacrifice. 

Although I enjoy this film, I realize that many people may not find anything to associate with when they try to watch the story unfold, and that is a pretty normal feeling.  I however ask you to give it a chance, because at its core, Below is a pretty great ghost story with some genuinely chilling moments of terror that will keep you entertained throughout the entire film’s running time.  I never get tired of ghost stories and if you’re anything like me, you enjoy a smart little film that will scare you and also not pull you out of the world of the film.  Also, Zach Galifinakis is in the movie.  You know…. The bearded guy from “The Hangover”?  He’s starring in a movie with Robert Downey Jr.? (yes, ironman)… you still don’t know who I’m talking about? Really? 

Well then you’re a bad person because my boy ZG is the shit, and has been rocking that since I saw him on Comedy Central Presents back in 2000. Straight Up.

Is it a cult classic, a fitting analysis, or complete forgettable?:   It definitely isn’t a cult classic due to the fact that while though entertaining, it isn’t the greatest ghost story ever told.  It has a few complex thoughts and themes that I could spend a lot of time exploring so I’m going to go with a fitting analysis.  Hopefully you’ll work with me here to make sure it doesn’t get completely forgotten.