47 Metres Down
Cert 15, 87 minutes, opens 26 July
Starring: Mandy Moore, Claire Holt, Matthew Modine Director: Johannes Roberts
THE PLOT Holidaying in Mexico, adventurous Kate (Holt) persuades her risk-averse sister Lisa (Moore) on a scuba-diving adventure with a pair of hot locals on a small boat and a tiny crew of two. But when the girls’ diving cage plummets to the ocean floor, their shark-viewing experience becomes rather more exciting than they’d bargained for.
WHAT’S RIGHT WITH IT? Presumably inspired by the success of last year’s Blake Lively shark thriller The Shallows, this reworks the formula as The Depths, with dwindling oxygen supplies adding a race-against-theclock element. Diving novice Lisa provides a suitably relatable protagonist: what would
you do if you were 47 metres down with a killer shark circling?
WHAT’S WRONG WITH IT? The story struggles to add a degree of plausibility, explaining that the recently dumped Lisa is trying to be a more fun-loving person. But, let’s face it: no way is this scuba virgin getting into a cage without an instructor, so she can be plunged into shark-infested waters. Your disbelief will need to be permanently suspended.
VERDICT This bonkers low-budget genre flick was a huge hit in the US. Bonus: a twist ending that may elicit groans, but you won’t see coming. ★★★ Charles Gant