In The Dive, sisters May and Drew drive to the coast to indulge in some underwater cave diving. It’s a beautiful day, and after parking the car the pair carry their oxygen tanks down to the sea shore, set up their equipment, and enter the water.
After diving to a depth of 20 feet, the pair enter a cave where they are able to remove their breathing apparatus. They briefly stop to take a moment, before heading back into the water to continue their plans.
But within minutes of leaving the cave, rocks fall from above in what appears to be some kind of landslide. The rocks hit May, drag her down, and for a brief moment the pair lose contact with each other.
Diving deeper into the water, Drew regains contact with May, before eventually finding her. But May is trapped under a heavy rock and is unable to move or resurface.
With only enough air to last 25 minutes, May tells Drew to head to the surface, call for help, and retrieve the spare air tanks. But with the clock ticking, and a number of obstacles in the way, will Drew be able to save her the day?
Directed by Maximilian Erlenwein, The Dive is a drama-thriller which stars Louisa Krause and Sophie Lowe. The movie is a remake of the 2020 Norwegian movie, Breaking Surface, and after making its debut in cinemas back in August, it is now available to stream on Netflix.
Filmed on a low budget, largely as a two-hander, The Dive is a simple story which sets out its premise pretty quickly. One character gets trapped under water, another has to save her, and time is running out.
The one under water (May) has to contend with a depleting oxygen supply, as well as an intense feeling of claustrophobia. The one above water (Drew) has to run the gauntlet to get the oxygen tanks, while keeping a beady eye on her watch.
This scenario alone is enough to cause even the driest palms to sweat, but with this being a movie, and director Maximilian Erlenwein keen to crank up the tension, there’s a little more to it. During the course of the film, Drew struggles to get into the car, she fails to call for help, she loses one of the oxygen tanks, she suffers damage to her own equipment, and she dithers around a lot.
Some of the problems feel contrived, some add to the drama, others cause you to shout at the screen. Drew’s lack of time management skills are frustrating beyond belief, as is her inability to follow instructions, but every thriller needs this kind of drama and it keeps things ticking along nicely.
OK, at times The Dive lacks originality, but it sure makes up for things by throwing endless hurdles at the screen, which make for an interesting watch. The movie also comes in at a bum-friendly 90-minutes, which is the perfect run-time to tell this sort of story.
However, the true ace up the sleeve is The Dive’s cinematography, which is never less than glorious. The movie looks good at all times, but is very impressive when it comes to the underwater scenes, which benefit from some stunning photography.
The water sequences are beautifully lit, and it’s easy to follow the action. There’s no murky, washed out, dim scenes here, just all good stuff.
While The Dive isn’t ground breaking, it is put together rather well, with a tight narrative and two great performances from the lead stars. The film does exactly what you expect it to do, but it does so with confidence and conviction and the end result is entertaining.
Short, snappy, and at times stylish, The Dive is worth taking a punt on. If you’re after a film that provides a quick shot of adrenaline, this is one to dive into.
—
Thank you for taking the time to read this review on It’s A Stampede!. For more reviews, check out the recommended reads below.
It's A Stampede! 
Leave a comment