From the first trailers and the plot synopsis, Underwater looked and sounded like Alien and the slew of copycats that followed in its wake, particularly of the deep sea variety. We’ve been down this road so many times before; man decides to explore the furthest reaches of the universe and receives horrific punishment for his hubris in the form of a deadly monstrosity. From the opening moments of Underwater, though, it quickly becomes apparent that the trailers gave very little away at all. While it does weave its narrative from stitched together pieces of similar genre fare, the film aims for big spectacle horror with unwavering intensity, inventive situations to put its characters through the wringer, and endless chilling surprises at the dark depths of the sea.

Underwater wastes no time at all cutting right to the action. News clippings and headlines shown over the opening credits reveal everything you need to know- that humans have amassed the technology to drill into the Mariana Trench and set up sprawling facilities over it- before diving right into the deep end. That’s the only exposition you get before you meet Norah (Kristen Stewart), one of the station’s mechanical engineers enjoying the solitude while brushing her teeth. Then an earthquake hits, creating catastrophic devastation to the facility that sends Norah running for her life. What few remaining survivors there are must walk two miles across the ocean floor in diving suits to reach another outpost for escape pods.

Naturally, they’re not alone.

Screenwriters Brian Duffield (The Babysitter) and Adam Cozad (The Legend of Tarzan) penned a lean, mean script devoid of any fat. Important clues to what’s happening or insight to characters are relayed through dialogue, even seemingly throwaway lines of dialogue. On the one hand, this action-packed narrative doesn’t need any lengthy setup; the action sequences, set pieces, and survival thrills tell a riveting story on their own. On the other hand, though, there are a few critical emotional beats and reveals that underwhelm as a result. The cast does their part to make their characters feel as three-dimensional as possible amidst the chaos, though, and Stewart shines as the cool-headed heroine with survival smarts.

Director William Eubank (2014’s The Signal) and cinematographer Bojan Bazelli (Pumpkinhead, A Cure for Wellness) bring incredible style to a film that could’ve easily just relied on the stellar sound and production design to handle the heavy lifting. It makes for a fully rendered and terrifying world at the dark depths of the sea. The team works like a well-oiled machine to deliver a bone-chilling epic that surprises at every turn, and it’s made more effective because this eerie environment feels so real. Underwater is a visual and aural feast for the horror fan, and one that strikes up the perfect balance of how much of the monster to show, and when.

Though this entry in aquatic horror may have borrowed from the best entries that came before, Underwater acknowledges its predecessors. It uses them to subvert the expectations of the horror fan. Moments that seem straight out of Alien take a hard detour into a different direction, and who lives or dies in what order isn’t as easy to surmise as you’d think. The narrative continues to find innovative ways to throw new obstacles and dilemmas at the characters. 

Most of all, though, Underwater presents a nonstop survival thriller fueled by a perpetual state of anxiety. The constant barrage of dangerous situations and the deep-sea monster hunting them makes for an intense ride that never lets off the gas, save for maybe a minute. Even the quiet moments don’t offer reprieve; when the characters do make it out into the open water, they’re surrounded by pitch-black silence. Yet they’re not alone and their mobility is limited. It’s unnerving. The final act offers up an awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping payoff to the nerve-shredding experience that came before. The precise type of moment that makes seeing Underwater on the big screen worth it.

Underwater is a grand spectacle film that feels tailored specifically for the horror fan, one that doesn’t bother with pretension and dives straight into the horror. Is this a wholly original film? Nope, not at all. It’s shallow on plot and characterization, too. But none of that matters in this scenario. Underwater knows precisely what type of movie it wants to be, and boy does it deliver. A well crafted and executed big summer blockbuster, giving January releases the middle finger. It’s the perfect popcorn movie, full of splendor and chills. Emphasis on chills.