SUBMERGED is a thriller set within the confines of a limo that has skidded off a bridge and is now slowly sinking into the waters below (aka, my worst nightmare). The film revolves around Jessie (Talulah Riley), the daughter of a local business man and target of the attempted kidnapping that led to the limo sinking in the first place. She and several friends have been out at a club, and were followed by a car full of dangerous, gun-toting henchmen. Her driver and bodyguard, Matt (Jonathan Bennett), barely gets them out of one scrape before landing in a far more dangerous situation. Although Jessie's father (Tim Daily) spared no expense on this sweet-ass ride (bulletproof glass, reinforced doors, killer bar), cars can only stay under water for so long before the people inside them drown, so despite all of the bells and whistles, time and air are at a premium as the group struggles to escape to safety.
The film cuts back and forth between the scene in the limo as the group tries to find a way out, and the events leading them to find themselves trapped underwater in the first place. The cross cutting helps to keep things interesting by never keeping the story in one place too long, while also helping to develop the characters and the inter-personal dynamics a bit. Between the two time frames, we begin to learn a bit more about each of the personalities involved, and how they play off one another. This group isn't as tight as it might initially seem, and there are a lot of issues that come to light as tempers rise.
Part of the backstory that is slowly filled in is the relationship between Matt and his younger brother, Dylan (Cody Christian), that tragically ended with Dylan's death through a drug overdose. It’s a bit of an odd puzzle piece, and has trouble working its way in to the greater story in any sort of elegant way. Its true relevance doesn’t get revealed until very late in the proceedings, which doesn’t do it much good, as the audience has wondered for 90 minutes just what he point of this Hallmark-level story is, and when we’re going to get back to seeing assholes fighting for air in the underwater limo.
Ultimately, the film is at its best when it is focused on the scene in the car. Matt and Jessie are trapped in the front, with the rest of the characters left to duke it out in the spacious back seat, throwing accusations, suspicions and threats at anything that moves. The story puts as much emphasis on who is responsible for them being in this mess as it does in how they will escape from it, offering interesting moments for the characters. The actors don’t quite pull off these interactions believably or smoothly every single time, but it does help to keep things moving.
The film’s strength is in the work of director Steven C. Miller. Despite a weak script that seems to be fighting for every plot point it can find, he is able to turn in a handful of really good scenes that make the action the highlight of the experience. When the limo is finally overtaken by bad guys and spills over the side of the bridge and into the water, Miller employs some really effective camera work in the interior of the car, capturing the motion and inertia of the vehicle flipping over and over, before hitting the water and finally coming to a halt in the depths below. It makes for a realistic element and helps to push the film into more instinctive, emotional territory. It can't correct all of the problems present in the script, but it certainly helps to heighten the tension.
Ultimately, SUBMERGED is a mixed bag that doesn't fully live up to its potential, but does a decent number of things right along the way. Though you never quite connect with the characters and the story is a bit padded, the plot unfolds at a quick enough pace that you never feel bogged down by the excess, and can still manage to enjoy the ride.
