The Top 10 Best Underwater Movies
These Underwater Movies Will Show You the Terrors of the Deep!
Hopefully, all of you know that man is an animal best suited to live on dry land. Man is also an animal that loves exploring places that will kill it in an instant, which is why underwater movies are so fascinating. Before we set our sights on the stars, mankind was exploring the deep blue sea and discovering all the wonders and terrors that lurked below. That’s why this week I’ve decided to pull together a list of the best underwater movies. In order to qualify for a spot, the films must be live-action, and the majority of them must take place underwater (let’s say a good 60 to 70% at least). Upon starting my research for this list, I discovered there are a lot of terrible underwater movies out there. However, there are also some pretty damn good ones, enough to fill all 10 slots on here and then some. So, take a deep breath and dive into this list of the best underwater movies!
10. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Moviegoers tend not to be big fans of remakes, but I’d love to see an updated version of this movie classic. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is a wonderful fantasy adventure film that features a vengeful sea captain in command of the Nautilus, a fantastic submarine. In the film, he captures some stowaways and forces them to accompany him on his destructive mission. The film is an absolute classic and won two Academy Awards for Art Direction and Visual Effects. It might feel a little bit dated now (understandable since it was made in the 50s), but still manages to hold up pretty well. I used to love this film as a kid, so when I started pulling together this list I knew that I would have to include it on here.
9. The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
If you’re planning on taking a cruise anytime soon, I suggest you skip this flick. The Poseidon Adventure follows an ocean liner that suffers a catastrophic accident at sea when it’s hit by a tsunami. The enormous wave flips the boat over, which puts the guests, you guessed it, underwater. With the ship upside down, the survivors of the disaster have to find a way out quickly before it sinks. The thing is that most exits are topside, which makes them pretty much useless now. Plus, with everything topsy-turvey the escape soon becomes perilous. The film features an impressive cast, including Gene Hackman, Leslie Nielsen, and Shelley Winters. Some of you might know about the remake Poseidon, but the original is far superior.
8. 47 Meters Down
As a lot of you probably know, I love films featuring killer sharks. Most of them don’t qualify as “underwater movies” because the characters tend to get the hell out of the water as soon as they see a fin. 47 Meters Down though takes place almost completely underwater (hence the name). A pair of women in Mexico decide that diving in a shark cage sounds like the adventure of a lifetime. Unfortunately, they should have checked the yelp reviews first, because once in the water the hoist holding the cage afloat snaps, and they’re dragged with it down to the depths. Trapped nearly 150 feet below the surface in shark-infested waters, they have to figure out a way back to the surface before their air runs out. I was honestly surprised at just how good this movie turned out to be.
7. Crimson Tide
Submarine movies always make me feel claustrophobic, but that’s also what makes them such great thrillers. Crimson Tide takes place in a sub that receives orders to launch missiles at a Russian target. Before they do, a second transmission starts to come in but the radio is damaged before the message can be decoded. This starts a divide on the ship as the Captain and his XO argue over whether to launch as instructed or wait in case the second message was a retraction of their orders. The power struggle escalates into a full-blown mutiny as the crew is forced to take sides. With the clock ticking down and an enemy sub closing it, Crimson Tide keeps you on the edge of your seat right up until the very end.
6. Aquaman
Ever since Justice League, DC movies keep getting better and better. In 2018 the King of Atlantis got his own flick and as everyone knows, Aquaman is a hero best suited to kicking butt under the sea. While there are a number of moments that take place on dry land, this film definitely qualifies as an underwater movie, especially because it centers around a power struggle in the mythical kingdom. As reluctant a hero as he is, when the chips are down Aquaman steps up to not only save Atlantis but the entire world from war. Aquaman is a rip-roaring adventure and one of the best DC movie universe films to date. Here’s hoping that the inevitable sequel is just as much fun.