Below isn’t the first Netflix aquatic horror offering this year with environmental concerns weighing heavily on its mind, but it is by far the best, handily surpassing the likes of The Last House and Thrash.
Creator Jesse McKeown injects modern anxieties in to a limited series that harkens back to the simpler aquatic creature features of yesteryear, especially Jaws and 1996’s The Beast. It gives ample time to fall hard for the small Newfoundland town that’s already facing extinction before the arrival of a mysterious oceanic beast.
Set in a remote fishing town, Snooks Arm, the series takes place during “Come Home Year,” a Newfoundland tradition that welcomes those who moved away to reconnect with their family and friends for larger-scale reunions and festivities. It’s a perfect backdrop to allow lead protagonist Calvin Penney (Josh Hartnett) to reconnect with his children but with the bonus of a larger pool of potential fodder for the aquatic monster lurking in the very waters that provide the town’s livelihood.
But Calvin is a bit preoccupied struggling to make ends meet; not only is the relocation initiative that resulted in his father’s death in 1986 still an ongoing issue due to dwindling resources, but his ice-fishing business hardships are compounded by the arrival of a massive iceberg filled with contaminants in the harbor. He brings it to local scientist Fonda Howander (Mackenzie Davis) for answers, putting them both on the front lines of a battle against an ancient creature from below, one that’s been there before.
In Jaws-like fashion, Below bides its time, revealing its ultimate threat, building mystery as characters find initial traces of foul play that slowly escalate to the discovery of mutilated bodies, or pieces of them at least. Reported disappearances give way to severed limbs, pieces of blooded scalp, and partially digested moose that stumps the locals. This steady build allows for ample time to get acclimated to Snooks Arm’s many endearing quirks and traditions, while establishing the friction-filled dynamics of the Penney clan.
Calvin’s close sister Ruth (Willow Kean) acts as the group’s true adult, while his daughter Mary (Ruby Stokes) brings her boyfriend home for the first time to meet dad. Prized son Jay (Rohan Campbell, Silent Night, Deadly Night) uses his gregarious personality to hide his vices and debts, while the son who remained behind with dad, Wade (Charlie Heaton, Stranger Things), struggles to measure up to his dad’s eyes. While the family drama itself is paper thin, it works; there’s a lived-in quality to the Penney family and their bickering that feels authentic and relatable.
It’s also what adds hefty emotional stakes when the slow build of early tension-building, dread, and scares gives way to take-charge action as characters attempt to go on the offense. Snooks Arm is so effectively cut off from the rest of the world that it creates a claustrophobic atmosphere, trapping the residents in place without many options. McKeon keeps viewers on their toes with piecemeal revelations about the beast, and unexpected byproducts of its presence; like the way the contaminated ice disrupts a small town accustomed to plucking ice from the water for everyday use.
This is where McKeown and crew inject the most variety with the horror, yielding a few surprises along the way. It’s also here where Below diverts from its parallel path with The Beast, turning its thoughts instead toward prevalent worries over the ocean’s increasing (and increasingly worrisome) warming waters. It builds to a suitable and climactic conclusion, though one that’s all but abandoned its horror waters by the final episodes.
The brief 6-episode format means lean efficiency that keeps you hooked, but it also means certain peripheral story elements and plot developments are more perfunctory than satisfying.
It’s a minor complaint as it ultimately amounts to simply wanting to spend more time with this hardy bunch. In truth, the creature feature elements are rather straightforward and familiar, though affecting and effective all the same. It’s the richly complex town and its characters that paint a sobering picture of rural communities devastated by the powerful and rich that anchors an entertaining aquatic horror series, one as full of vibrant personality as resilience. It’s also gorgeously shot by cinematographer William Baldy, making it even clearer why this picturesque Newfoundland town is worth wading into the treacherous sea to fight for.
Even better is that McKeon never gets too dour with its eco-messaging; Below isn’t afraid to poke fun at itself either or get playful with its editing and humor. There is a final hook that leaves the door ajar enough for continuation, but as it stands, this cozy, self-contained series is close to perfect as is, an entertaining, compelling, and genre-bending new entry in the realm of aquatic horror thrillers.
Below premieres globally on Netflix today, October 8.
