Escape Under Pressure

This movie attempts to be a high-tech thriller, like a mix between 'Die Hard' and 'The Poseidon Adventure'. Despite a few familiar faces among the acting staff, production values are way low. Special effects don't look too special, and the acting is sub-standard.

The first half of the film actually looks promising. Not feature film quality by any standard, but mildly entertaining nonetheless. Then things go downhill fast. The bad guy never really seems threatening, and the plot is downright silly.

If watched under normal conditions, you probably will groan to yourself 'oh what godawful trash', but after a few beers, it will make you laugh enough to make the rental price worth it. Whether an action movie should produce such a reaction is debatable.

This is one of the worst films ever. Robe Lowe as the main actor. Need I say more? There is nothing good about this film at all. You'll do well to sit through it all. You wonder where people get the inspiration to make such dirge.

...But not by much! Under Pressure or 'The Cruel Deep' as it's known on my DVD case can be enjoyable if your expectations are quite low,

It stars Rob Lowe (known for this kind of trash before being saved by 'The West Wing') as a Husband whose been neglecting his wife (Larissa Miller) so decides to suprise her on her Greek Holiday with a sexy student, by turning up unannounced on her cruise liner, but low and behold at this very day and this very ship there's a bunch of bad guys led by the obnoxious Brit (aren't we always)played by Harry van Gorkum who are after a priceless Greek statue for a Bill Gates-like Business Tycoon, many explosions and dead bodies later Lowe has to save his wife (who by the happens to be an expert on greek mythology) and the Statue while evading the bad guys, OH.. AND THE SHIP SINKS leaving Rob,Wife and Bad guys a limited amount of time to get out alive.

all in all i've seen worse rubbish than this, and for a Straight to Video release I bought for 50p I can't really complain,

as I said keep your expectations rock-Bottom and you might enjoy!

My Rating **1/2 out of ***** or 6/10

It wuz baaaaad and then some. Weird thing was how I didn't change channels. So bad that just HAD to find out how it ended. Lowe & Miller were alright, but most of the bit parts were appalling, stuck in stilted 'pause & deliver' mode, not assisted by a script that seemed committee-driven, last-minute hackwork. Character depth struck a new lowe (sorry). All of the above must be laid at the door of the director, who can only do better.

Saw this on DVD as 'The Cruel Deep' which as a title is rather meaningless. Yes there is a lot of sea but it looked pretty and blue as it always seems to do around Greece. After a preamble in historic Lesvos and an unconnected bit at a water dam a simple and ungripping plot emerges that gives various actors a chance to show how bland they can be.

It also gave the film makers a chance to show how bland computer generated effects can be. When computer effects in films look like part of a computer game, well the game is up and inertia sets in. Why use real water pouring down ship corridors when completely false CGI water will do? Ask the producers.

It was a film where I was rooting for the bad guys and Harry Van Gorkum as the villainous Brit is watchable compared to the rest. The heroine is your typical 'I'm posited as a clever and capable woman but become more stupid and helpless as the film progresses' type role. Rob Lowe has a nice beard though.