10s Movie Review - 47 Meters Down: Uncaged

Director: Johannes Roberts
Genre: Horror/ Thriller/ Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 90 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Sophie Nélisse, Corinne Foxx, Brianne Tju, Sistine Stallone, Brec Bassinger, John Corbett, Nia Long, Axel Mansilla, Khylin Rhambo, Davi Santos

Description: Two sisters diving in a ruined underwater city quickly learn they’ve entered the territory of the deadliest shark species in the claustrophobic labyrinth of submerged caves.

Review: In contemporary Hollywood, titles should leave no doubt about the nature of follow-up films. The days when “Chinatown” was followed by “The Two Jakes” and “Terms of Endearment” by “The Evening Star” are far behind us. Today, the title of the first part should simply be adhered to, followed by a number or subtitle. This often results in sequels whose main title no longer applies to the content at all. For “47 Meters Down: Uncaged”, it doesn’t even take place 47 meters in depth and it does not feature a cage either (in order to be uncaged, you have to be caged first). The film isn’t a follow-up story either nor do we see any of the characters from the first film. It’s just a re-used formula of two diving sisters who get into dangerous situations with sharks.
As for the first film, Johannes Roberts provides the script and direction for “47 Meters Down: Uncaged”. It unfolds more as an oppressive monster move with a plot that seems to be copied of from “The Descent”, when four teenagers dive into a flooded Mayan temple, a collapse cuts off their access road and they have to go deeper into the labyrinth to find another exit. Exciting enough itself, but adding sharks to the equation completes the challenge.
Where the first part focused on the danger of the open sea, this sequel takes place in narrow corridors and tombs, resulting in deliciously claustrophobic scenes. The fact that this is filmed close to the skin does not always benefit the overview, but the effect I no less.
The characters may not be the most psychologically elaborate you’ll meet, but the interpretations are sympathetic enough to make you hope that a few survive the adventure. The film has some really loud scares, but well timed. The most surprising though is borrowed from “Deep Blue Sea”. And there is one at the beginning of their underwater adventure, that is super weird. There is a screaming fish, really, anyone hear that fish scream?
“47 Meters Down: Uncaged” is still not a good shark movie, but it’s better then its predecessor and has more effective scares.

Rating: 3/ 5