BELOW (DVD/1.85 ANAMORPHIC) DVD

Below
Reflecting studio executives' taste for material that crosses genres, this film from director David Twohy and co-screenwriter Darren Aronofsky mixes the war movie and supernatural thriller genres. After they rescue a trio of survivors that includes a nurse, Claire Page (Olivia Williams), from a British hospital ship sunk by the Nazis, the crew of the American submarine U.S.S. Tiger Shark comes to believe that their vessel is haunted. The unexpected death of their commander forces first officer Lt. Brice (Bruce Greenwood) to take command, trying to avoid a German destroyer on the hunt for his ship, while investigating the series of mysterious incidents that are terrifying his crew. Is the Tiger Shark haunted, or is there something otherworldly inhabiting the waters where the sailors are currently trapped? Originally entitled "Proteus," this project was slated to be Aronofsky's follow-up to Pi (1998), but the writer/director opted to helm Requiem for a Dream (2000) instead. Below co-stars Scott Foley, Zach Galifianakis, Dexter Fletcher, and Holt McCallany. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Cast Bruce Greenwood as Lt. Brice Olivia Williams as Claire Page Holt McCallany as Lt. Loomis Scott Foley as Coors Zach Galifianakis as Weird Wally Jason Flemyng as Stumbo Dexter Fletcher as Kingsley Nick Chinlund as Chief Andrew Howard as Hoag Christopher Fairbank as Pappy

Crew Fred Hole - Art Director Mark Harris - Supervising Art Director Mary Vernieu - Casting Felicia Fasano - Casting Anne McCarthy - Casting Dan Hubbard - Casting Mark Indig - Co-producer Michael Zoumas - Co-producer Elizabeth Waller - Costume Designer David Daniels - First Assistant Director David N. Twohy - Director Martin Hunter - Editor Bob Weinstein - Executive Producer Harvey Weinstein - Executive Producer Andrew Rona - Executive Producer Graeme Revell - Composer (Music Score) Charles Lee - Production Designer Ian Wilson - Cinematographer Eric Watson - Producer Sue Baden-Powell - Producer Darren Aronofsky - Producer Richard Roberts - Set Designer Peter Lindsay - Sound/Sound Designer Scott Martin Gershin - Sound/Sound Designer Paul Jennings - Stunts Coordinator Darren Aronofsky - Screenwriter David N. Twohy - Screenwriter Lucas Sussman - Screenwriter Peter Chiang - Visual Effects Supervisor Double Negative Ltd. - Visual Effects

Below
It's too bad this haunted sub thriller got lost in the marketing with Ghost Ship, a similarly-themed effort that opened nearly simultaneously to negative reviews in October of 2002. Director David N. Twohy creates the same eerie vibe of his Pitch Black (the sting rays even make a brief appearance), casting the sets in unsettling, uncertain light and making every character a suspect. The acting is restrained, to the detriment of a few scenes that bog down the pace a bit, but Matt Davis should make sure anyone involved with Indiana Jones sequels sees this -- there are some shots that make him look exactly like a young Harrison Ford. Enemy depth charges and mass paranoia give rise to effective wartime action, but heightening the haunting aspects -- and the unexpected ending -- are Twohy and co-writer Darren Aronofsky's main goal. Thriller, action and horror renters will be on top of Below. ~ Buzz McClain, All Movie Guide
 

(no awards)

General Specifications: Language Options: Subtitle Options: Sound Processing: DD5.1: Dolby Digital w/ sub-woofer channel Additional Features: cc Theatrical trailer Deleted scenes "The process"featurette Feature commentary with director and cast Director commentary for deleted scenes Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound Widescreen (1.85:1)- enhanced for 16x9 televisions DVD Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1: Theatre Wide-Screen MPAA Rating: R DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 105 min   DVD Chapters: Side #1 -- 1. "Will Send Help" 2. Battle Stations 3. "One's a Skirt" 4. "Sonar Contact! Full Stop" 5. "Wake the German Up!" 6. Some Bad Hoodoo 7. "They're Using Their Hooks" 8. Repairing the Hull 9. "This Submarine Is Haunted" 10. "A Bloody Mechanical Problem" 11. "We're Going Backwards" 12. "Where's Our Crew?" 13. "What Happened That Night?" 14. The Wrong Ship 15. "Everybody Pull!" 16. "I'm Feeling Better, Now" 17. Rescued 18. End Credits