High-Stakes Suspense and Trick Endings: A Review of ‘47 Meters Down’

Maya Capasso

3 years ago

Have you ever swam with sharks? I’ve always wanted to get in one of those big cages that are lowered into the ocean to see huge sharks circle me. I like the idea of swimming with these massive, beautiful creatures, but I’m also scared they will eat me. That’s why I love the idea of the protective cage. Well, until I watched 47 Meters Down (2017).

47 Meters Down: A Modern Aquatic Horror

This modern aquatic horror turns a fun vacation into a horrible nightmare. Every moment itches with suspense as hope is torn away from the audience at every turn. On the other hand, this film has some problems. The story demonizes endangered sharks, and the twist at the end is both predictable and disappointing.

A Sisters’ Trip Gone Wrong

Sisters Lisa (Mandy Moore) and Kate (Claire Holt) embark on a girls’ trip to Mexico, where Lisa admits her boyfriend broke up with her because she is too boring. Kate, the more adventurous of the two, decides her sister needs a little fun. They go out to party and meet a few handsome men, who encourage the girls to come cage diving with them the following day.

Lisa is apprehensive because she doesn’t have her SCUBA certification. There’s red flag number one that something bad is going to happen because of these women’s stupid choices.

Kate and Lisa get on the boat the next day to find Captain Taylor, the tour leader, played by Matthew Modine. I don’t know about you, but when I see Matthew Modine in something, I get a sense that something slimy is going to go on. Perhaps it’s because I can’t see him as anyone but the intolerable Sullivan Groff from the TV show Weeds. Anyhow, there’s another red flag. Lisa doesn’t trust her gut and lets her sister convince her to get in the cage.

What I found intriguing about this movie begins at this stage. When the girls enter the cage, it doesn’t take long for the supports to snap. The sisters tumble down into the depths below, inside this heavy metal cage. That’s when the obstacles begin, and don’t stop until the end. I love the constant suspense created by the trials of these two sisters, trying to get back up to the boat without getting eaten by a shark or dying from nitrogen poisoning.

Facing Sharks and Running Out of Air

They’re running out of air. There are sharks everywhere. They lost connection with Taylor, so they must venture up ten meters or so out of the cage to communicate with the world above. The action is simple yet powerful, and that’s what makes this movie worth a watch.

However, I found the ending rather disappointing. (GET READY FOR SOME SPOILERS!)

Nitrogen Poisoning and Hallucinations

Throughout the movie, the sisters are constantly reminded that they could come down with nitrogen poisoning if they swim up too fast or when they change their air tanks. If nitrogen bubbles enter their brains, they start to hallucinate, and soon they’re as good as dead. So, of course, I figured the nitrogen poisoning must be a key part of the story.

When Lisa switches her air tanks, I thought to myself, “ah, here come the hallucinations!”

The film’s final act is triumphant: Lisa and Kate manage to swim up to the boat slowly without getting eaten by a shark and are dragged onto the boat and saved. But not really. At the very last moment, we see Lisa hallucinating, still at the bottom of the ocean in the cage, her sister dead. Lisa’s own demise is promised too, yet her hallucinations convince her that she and her sister will be alright.

Final Thoughts on 47 Meters Down

I found the ending disappointing. I’m all for false happy endings, but this one didn’t land. Perhaps it’s because the tragic ending was so predictable. Perhaps I wanted these women to succeed, and I’m annoyed they didn’t. No matter what it is, the ending doesn’t sit well with me.

While watching 47 Meters Down, I was never bored. I found the suspense engaging, and the challenges the two women face on the ocean floor are compelling and seemingly realistic. I give this horror film a 3 out of 5 because the ending didn’t satisfy me, and I found the sisters’ irresponsible decisions that led to the cage-dive irritating. However, it’s still worth watching if you want to dive into a suspenseful aquatic horror story.