One thing I always take flak for is the fact that I don’t know how to swim. For some reason, people find this hard to believe. Personally, I’m fine with it, but it does make going to the beach a bit less fun. I do take solace knowing that I have less of a chance of getting attacked and eaten by some murderous great white sharks though. Unfortunately, the same can not be said for the characters in Johannes Roberts’ 47 Meters Down: Uncaged.
The Plot
A group of friends decide to be a bit adventurous in search of some fun. Their planned exploration of ‘just’ the first cave of an ancient underwater city quickly turns deadly as they discover the great white sharks inhabiting those very tunnels.
My Thoughts
The follow-up to 2017’s 47 Meters Down, 47 Meters Down: Uncaged takes everything good about its predecessor and expands on it tenfold. Where the first film could be seen as slowly-paced and perhaps even boring, this sequel never lets up, keeping its foot on the gas pedal for its entirety.
47 Meters Down: Uncaged, a sequel really only in name, features a very talented cast of young actors. The major players are Sophie Nelisse, Corinne Foxx, Brianne Tju, and Sistine Stallone. Every single one of these girls does a tremendous job with their respective roles, including Sylvester’s daughter in her debut performance.
The real-life chemistry between the four really translates on screen, making it a pleasure to watch as their relationships develop before the audience’s eyes. Co-writer and director Johannes Roberts, along with partner Ernest Riera, does a fantastic job fleshing out the girls enough to make the audience actually care for them when their inevitable demises occur. With each subsequent shark attack, I couldn’t help but to feel a bit heartbroken as the girls’ core four dwindle down one by one.
47 Meters Down: Uncaged is a beautiful film to look at; Starting out with some gorgeous establishing shots of serene beaches and crystal clear waters, the film manages to lull its viewers into a false sense of security. It is the perfect way to relax us all before getting into the brutality that lies ahead.
Like most shark horror flicks, 47 Meters Down: Uncaged maintains a PG-13 rating. Don’t let that deter you from watching this one, however. There is more than one scene throughout the film’s 90 minutes that had me gasping out loud while grinning ear to ear at the carnage unfolding before my eyes.
Jump scares are usually not my favorite thing to experience during a movie, but for one of this nature, where 75% of it takes places in winding, uncharted tunnels, they are perfect for keeping everyone on their toes.
With our main cast of characters making their way through already difficult circumstances — limited oxygen, blinding conditions — you never know what turned corner will lead to the next encounter with the predatory great whites.
Johannes Roberts and his team have done an outstanding job with lighting and cinematography here. These aspects are generally difficult for filmmakers to master well above sea level, let alone while filming in maze-like underwater caves. Yet, this crew has found a way to make everything work out just right, making already vicious shark attacks look that much more impressive, CGI antagonists or not.
47 Meters Down: Uncaged at Home
47 Meters Down: Uncaged is available now on Digital 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, and On-Demand from Lionsgate.
The Blu-ray home release contains a 1080p HD 16×9 (2.40:1) presentation of the film with English 5.1 DTS-HD master and English descriptive audio tracks and English SDH and Spanish subtitles.
Along with the film itself, collectors of physical media are treated to bonus content including an audio commentary track with Johannes Roberts, producer James Harris, and writer Ernest Riera. Also included is a behind-the-scenes featurette entitled Diving Deeper: Uncaging 47 Meters Down, which contains interviews with cast and crew.
The Verdict
47 Meters Down: Uncaged is a solid entry into the more serious side of the shark horror sub-genre. It features a talented cast of performers, impressive special effects, a higher body count than I anticipated, and a beautiful Mexico setting (the film was actually shot in both London and the open oceans of the Dominican Republic).
I will admit that you will need to exercise some suspension of disbelief during 47 Meters Down: Uncaged. This is especially true towards the film’s very end. If you do, however, I can assure you that you will have a fun time.
This 2019 sequel takes the solitary confines of 2017’s 47 Meters Down shark cage and expands into a claustrophobic underwater city of Mayan ruins, making for one hell of a killer shark experience.
Be sure to pick up a copy of 47 Meters Down: Uncaged today, as I give this one 4 Mexican tetra blind cave fish out of 5.
