Fear Below

Needless to say that of course I had to watch the 2025 movie "Fear Below", as there is just something very alluring to me about shark movies. Sure, a great number of the shark movies out there are questionable affairs to be sure, but every now and again there is gold to be found. And without even knowing what I was in for here, as I hadn't heard about "Fear Below" prior to watching it, then maybe director Matthew Holmes was holding a cache of gold here.

Writers Matthew Holmes and Gregory Moss put together a pretty straightforward script and storyline, though it was a bit generic. But ultimately it was an adequate enough storyline. However, the movie didn't really have a lot of actual scenes with the shark, which was sort of disappointing. So you're more in for a crime thriller here, than you are a shark movie.

I was not familiar with a single actor or actress on the cast list. But then again, I am not overly familiar with the Australian cinema. The acting performances in "Fear Below" were certainly good. I do enjoy watching unfamiliar and new talents on the screen whenever I sit down to watch a movie, so that was something that spoke well in favor of the movie.

If you enjoy shark movies, then perhaps give "Fear Below" a chance. Just keep in mind that there isn't a whole lot of actual shark action throughout the course of the 85 minutes that the movie ran for.

"Fear Below" is hardly a movie that warrants more than a single viewing.

My rating of director Matthew Holmes's 2025 movie "Fear Below" lands on a five out of ten stars.

It's an unfortunate truth that my expectations are automatically set very low when it comes to new shark movies, despite being a huge fan of the genre.

It gives me great pleasure to say that Fear Below is one of the better movies we've got in the last few years. Fear Below understands that a Bull Shark is scary enough just being a Bull Shark. This is where most shark movies go off the rails and the filmmakers decide to add in Kaiju-esque elements, Roaring sharks, or rubbish CGI. A rubber fin gliding through the water is sometimes enough to send a shiver down the spine.

The story is a little out there, but the actors do their jobs well for the most part and I did root for the divers, as opposed to the last 4 or 5 releases I saw where I just prayed the Shark would tear everyone on screen apart to put me out of my misery.

If it wasn't for the imminent release for Dangerous Animals which I have high hopes for, I would say 2025 has it's best shark movie already.

Fear Below" dives deep, but not in a good way. This cinematic misadventure struggles with weak direction from the get-go, betraying a clearly poor budget that haunts every frame. There are zero surprises in this predictable plot, making it a tedious watch. You barely even see the shark, which for a shark movie, is an unforgivable sin. When it does deign to appear, its size seems to fluctuate wildly - one moment it's a giant, the next it's a small, idiotic fish, completely undermining any sense of threat.

The film is riddled with stupid and flimsy solutions to its poorly constructed dilemmas, and the acting is uniformly poor. Not once do you feel any genuine emotion from the characters - no pain, no danger, no sorrow, no urgency. They're just cardboard cutouts moving through a bland, uninspired script. The villains are caricatured and unconvincing, adding another layer to the film's many failings.

Adding insult to injury, the camera work is a choppy mess, constantly employing fast cuts and hiding the action, as if ashamed of what it's trying to show. This isn't suspense; it's an attempt to mask the film's glaring inadequacies. Honestly, "Fear Below" is one of the worst films I've ever seen.

A fine movie that's considered generic by some, it's fairly standard, it's casual viewing, it isn't anything out-their. But for me, it was fun, it was well-paced as it was entertaining.

The western type gang who want their treasure back embark on an adventure into terror when a deadly bull Shark who's pregnant lurks beneath the chosen divers. That's the summary of the movie, the pacing offers some decent action, drama. But the tension never fully feels realised due to the gang feeling overtly cruel, and not having much presence on film.

However the Movie does offer some shark chaos, and the actual feeling of the movie is great, as the deeper depths and the storytelling does blend in old and newer environments and it does make the film seem interesting as It does offer some great cinematography and camera lensing, some of it does get sticky when we're talking about Shark footage. But the natural backgrounds feel cool and secluded, which is good because it makes it scary.

As I was saying, the Gang feel more threatening, but they don't seem to do anything particularly interesting, and they end their journey's, mostly decent acting, nothing increadible either, but the other characters felt more earnest as they had more backgrounds and the ending gives an interesting new dynamic.

The divers who saved themselves, are opening a new business now, and they look to be researches. I'd of personally loved to see it be played out more, and some more twists and turns in the film. But for what it was, it was actually rather enjoyable.

I'd rate this a 5 Out of 10 As the whole movies runtime is entertaining, some characters share great emotion, but it feels rather shallow due to not much development and rushed aside plot-elements. Otherwise a decent fun-time.

Fear Below is a well-produced film on a technical level, with strong cinematography, solid costume design, and impressive location choices. The visual effects are passable, though it's clear that editing is used strategically to mask a limited budget-particularly when it comes to the shark, which is rarely seen.

The performances are competent, though not standout. Reactions to life-threatening situations, especially during shark attacks, feel flat and unconvincing. The lead actress delivers a convincing British accent, but it still feels strangely forced and disconnected from the setting. Her emotional scenes, particularly when crying, come across as staged rather than authentic.

Unfortunately, the characters themselves aren't compelling enough to carry the story. The mob boss character fails to exude any real menace, and Josh McConville's portrayal of an ethnic character using a European accent feels miscast; an actor of that background would have added needed authenticity. The story lacks depth and tension-it's neither particularly scary nor engaging.

The music score is decent but ultimately forgettable. While Fear Below is competently made, it struggles with weak storytelling and flat character development. For a more impactful and emotionally engaging experience, check out The Cost, the director's previous and much stronger effort.