If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

It is easy to say that "Below" is a combination of a WWII submarine film and a ghost story, especially since that is a pretty interesting combination. But one of the things that makes "Below" work better than most ghost stories is that the possibility of there being some other explanation is quite strong throughout the film. One of the things that Twohy takes advantage of is the role that sound plays on a submarine where you can hear just about anything from whales singing to a Benny Goodman record that suddenly starts playing when the sub is engaged in silent running to a German depth charge bouncing along the outer hull (a marvelously effective sequence). Add to that your traditional oxygen deprivation problems from being stuck in a confined place, and who knows what is really going on at any moment.Visually, this haunted submarine story is about has sharp as they come. In this quick to video age, the art of B-movie making and low budget genre films had been lost until recently. It's a pity that "Below" was buried in the theaters before it got a chance to surface. The acting is top-notch and, while the script is certainly flawed, it's attempt at merging a variety of different genres is admirable. "Below" is basically a very good, involving, taut, little horror/psychological thriller that will be over before you know it and you will definitely enjoy. Great performances and ghost effects work, make this film one of the best movies that you haven't yet seen. Definitely worth a shot.Overall rating: 8 out of 10.

Well, to be honest, I was going to qualify this film as a combination of U-571 and Ghost Ship. Then I saw the cover picture bearing a review stating "U-571 meets Poltergeist" and realized that wouldn't be too original...It's WWII, and the US Sub is lively and excited due to 3 survivors picked up for a shipwreck, one of whom is a female British doctor. Some of the crew is thrilled and edgy about seeing a woman for the first time in weeks, maybe months. Others are aware of sea folklore and believe a woman on a boat is bad luck.The story was absolutely brilliant in my opinion, the thrill and suspense were of the highest level, and the twist was surprising and well presented. The acting was persuasive and honest, and during the entire film I found myself at the edge of my seat, fearing for the lives of the Sub's crew as mechanical problems stacked up.And then they had to destroy what might have been a great film by forcibly, bluntly and stupidly shoving a ghost into it. I mean... why? Honestly, why? In order for DVD libraries to be able to tag this film as horror? What was so important about that?! This could have been an excellent war/psychological thriller film, with an excellent story, a surprising twist, and good acting. Adding the whole ghost part was like taking that kids' puzzle with the shapes, putting the square peg in the triangle hole, and hammering it till the entire thing broke. That simply ruined the film for me, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.In summary - an excellent war thriller. Forcing it into the horror genre ruined it. I'd still recommend it, if you could be forgiving. I wouldn't blame you if you weren't.

So, should you give up a couple of hours and watch this film. If you're one of those people that are happy to chat with everyone around you while watching films or laugh at parts that are meant to be touching or scary, then no. (Okay, don't get me started on that.) If not, you'll enjoy this film, you'll enjoy the acting and you'll enjoy the atmosphere and the tension. I think the 6.? score is to be honest down to people who'd rather watch a documentary on WW II. Yes the submarine seems a bit roomy at times but that doesn't spoil the drama for me. As for the plot, without giving anything away, the sin at the heart of the story grows larger and darker. I won't say any more, just that you'll see some good actors here that have popped up and become more famous 10 years after this film.

I am at a loss for what to rate "Below." It does what many horror/thrillers fail to do: generate suspense and general creepiness. On the other hand, it makes absolutely no sense.This is a ghost story (although the horror elements are inadequately melded onto the "U-571" ripoff story). The USS Tiger Shark has located a sunken British hospital vessel in the Atlantic Ocean. The submarine takes in 3 survivors, including a woman named Claire (Olivia Williams). The addition of a woman on board makes a lot of the men nervous because of naval superstitions of having a woman on board a navy ship being unlucky. Indeed, mysterious things start happening, and the body count begins to rise, Claire and another sailor, Odell (Matthew Davis) begin to think that the ship is cursed.The story is not that complicated, but by trying to play with our minds and making us wonder if we saw what we thought we did, director David Twohy goes into Paul McGuigan territory: presenting key elements of the story with extraordinary subtlety and filler with the impact of an atom bomb. Needless to say, this is not the way to tell any story, much less a ghost story.The acting is surprisingly effective. Matthew Davis has been previously relegated to supporting roles in dumb teen flicks, but he handles a headlining role with ease. Bruce Greenwood is terrific as always (even in the worst roles, Greenwood still manages to impress). Olivia Williams adds a dose of class to the proceedings, and she never goes over-the-top when she gets scared. "Hangover" fans will delight in seeing the star of that movie, Zach Galifianakis, in an early role here (and still acting just as weird).I'm tempted to recommend the film solely on the basis that it gave me the creeps but by the end of the film I was so frustrated and lost that it didn't work for me anymore. It's a huge mess, but it's a creepy mess.