The Chamber

Dir Ben Parker, UK 2016 On UK release from 10 March

A research vessel in North Korean waters gets boarded by American Special Ops who requisition the vessel’s small submersible for a secret mission. Said submarine is a bit temperamental, so the team (Charlotte Salt, James McArdle and Elliot Levey) also take its regular pilot (Johannes Kuhnke) along with them. As they begin their descent into the abyss of the Yellow Sea, the disgruntled pilot tries to learn what the trio are up to, but their lips remain sealed. As tensions rise and things come to a head, the four find themselves trapped at the bottom of the ocean, and soon military protocol and personal differences must be put aside if they want to survive.

For a British film with such a small budget (it was shot in

Wales, not North Korea) and such a static setting, The Chamber achieves quite a lot in spite of its limitations. The cinematography effectively establishes the claustrophobic atmosphere of the confined space, and the performances are for the most part engaging. Johannes Kuhnke and Charlotte Salt play their parts particularly well, despite the fact that they have been given very little to work with, both in terms of setting and script. The plot provides only the most basic of frameworks, and while it is commendable that momentum is maintained throughout the film, the script is ultimately devoid of any real depth or substance.

As a survival thriller, the premise and narrative structure of The Chamber work well enough, but in the end the film is no more than a disposable bit of entertainment.

Fortean Times Verdict

Effective IF unexceptional Survival Thriller 6