Above & Below

The Pre-Match Setup: Open Waters, Open Season

Fans...it is time to jump right on into Jesse V. Johnson’s 'Above & Below'! The plot is very simple and I’m sure will be chaotic, especially with the Spanish Film director producing it. All of the friends go on a vacation and combine the ultimate party and extreme sport: booze and diving! The background music begins to play “And they’re off! A strong start, sun’s out, good vibes all around!” But with these 2026 movies, we all know that the game starts out fun, but takes a hard 180. Like any experienced fan knows-the main cast will be going from 0 to 🚬 with a thirst that can’t be quenched. The sharks aren’t even the most dangerous predators out there in the deep open waters. The human threat takes predating to a brand new level. Vacation, now, is not a relaxing holiday spent in beautiful nature, but a brutal fight against murderous men and the sea. The run time is a very realistic thriller run time of 1 hour and 36 minutes. There are absolutely no filler minutes, it’s full on entertainment with tons of anticipation. The perfect amount of setup has been accomplished for a nail biting encounter to take place, but ultimately could depend on the execution.

Star Players and Supporting Cast: Who's Carrying the Ball?

Each team has star players, and Above & Below has an excellent trio with Laura Marano, Christina Ochoa, and Mario Tardón. Marano and Ochoa have been celebrated for their performances which capture their characters' mounting terror and desperation. They deserve credit for capturing fear and resistance when facing man-made or natural threats. While the leads may capture the thunder, it has been consistently audience reviews that have singled out another performer as a "steals every scene" Antonio. While the leads are preoccupied the performers may be delivering critical game-changing moments when the plot is lagging. The cast has been successful in delivering the scenario and building the suspense and creating a tension that makes you feel the claustrophobia of their predicament in the open ocean. The plot may ask for some imaginative leaps, but the efforts to build each scene is worthy of note and prevents the entire story from being a flop.

Momentum Swings: Highs, Lows, and Missed Opportunities

Every match has its moments of ideal action flowed by a lack there of. So does ‘Above & Below’. The film’s strongest elements draw from the immediately threatening attack, the looming horror of the unknown depths, and the animalistic struggle to survive. These drawn-out sections of the film have their moment to shine and should be commended. However, there are a lot of reviewers stating that the film that has “excitement levels closer to zero”, and that the film drags on far too often with little to no build to maintain the levels of energy seen earlier. This film is like a sports team that has a lot of potential, and when they cross the midfield and set up in attack, they score brilliant goals. Unfortunately, this team spends far too much time in the center of the pitch. The film tries to capitalize on “a little different from the usual in this type of feature” and tries to bring a unique blend of action, thriller, horror, and crime genres that are ambitious, but leaves some elements of the genre lacking and results in an overall film that is “intermittently fun, but far more eye-roll-inducing”. As critics stated, “the level of polish and attention that goes into individual sequences is admirable”.

The Full-Time Scoreline: Is It a Win for Your Watchlist?

So after 96 minutes of aquatic mayhem and criminal encounters, what is the final verdict on ‘Above & Below’? This is neither a championship contender nor a relegation-zone disaster. This is a decent but predictable shark thriller that offers some entertainment, but doesn’t break the genre. For those looking for a quick fix of genre entertainment, especially for the survival thriller dual threat, this will keep everyone appeased, but that’s about it. The premise is decent and the performances, especially those of Laura Marano and Christina Ochoa, also commit, but the standout supporting performance pulls it altogether. It’s a step up on some really bad shark B movies, as one critic noticed. The plot stretches the limits of believability and inconsistent pacing stop it from being truly great. From what the audience rated, it’s safe to say that it was well received but not critically acclaimed, potentially due to a "massive leap of faith into complete disbelief" towards the end. Critics say it's a decent way to fill in an action-thriller void, but one could overlook some key plot points, so probably don’t expect to lose on this draw!