What Lies Beneath (2000) Dir: Robert Zemeckis
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I've been aware of this Robert Zemeckis directed film's existence since childhood, though I had, until now, never seen it. It was one of those films that was sat in my grandparent's DVD cupboard, but I was never old enough to watch. Cut to well over a decade later, and I finally had the chance to watch it.
I knew it was a supernatural thriller before I saw it, but I didn't know much else. I found it to be a chilling and at times rather haunting mystery, which was full of spooks and suspense throughout, and kept me hooked from start to finish. It was a clever film in a lot of ways, without becoming overly convoluted.
One criticism could be that the film was too slow, although I personally didn't mind the slow-burn pacing. The film built its story gradually but deliberately, giving it a suspenseful and very atmospheric feel, especially in the second half, where the tension is truly palpable.
Some of the horror elements, like the jump scares, were perhaps a little repetitive, but they pretty much all worked regardless. I'd say that all the other horror elements were pretty effective - I'll certainly never look at baths the same way. The only real downer, in that respect, was that the visual effects were aittle dated, which took away from their effectiveness, but that was about it.
There were clearly elements of Hitchcock's 'Rear Window' throughout the film. In fact, everything about it felt very Hitchcock in nature, from the themes, some of the camerawork, Alan Silvestri's chilling soundtrack - which was very 'Vertigo', and yes indeed the story. It felt like a Zemeckis love letter to the legendary director.
The narrative was tension-filled, and wound its way through hints, twists and red herrings, all leafing to what was a very intense and thrilling climax. I will concede that the story was definitely a little predictable, but I didn't have a problem with it, because the storytelling was solid, and Zemeckis still took me on an emotional ride with the way he revealed the mysteries of the story.
Michelle Pfeiffer was exceptional and utterly riveting. I found her to be a compelling, effective protagonist, who I couldn't help but root for, as she attempted to decipher the mysteries and horrors unfolding before her eyes. I love that her character is so proactive and pushes the plot forward, and Pfeiffer does a very good job of letting the audience in on how her character thinks and feels.
Harrison Ford was another who provided a really commendable performance. I tend to enjoy his acting more often than not, and this was no exception. I thought he played his part really believably, and played into his role excellently. Furthermore, he had some clear chemistry with Pfeiffer, which he utilised well.
I'll give quick mentions to some other cast members, although none of them had particularly large roles. Despite this, I enjoyed their appearances a fair bit. These names being Diana Scarwid, James Remar and Miranda Otto.
Overall, I thought this was a thoroughly enjoyable thriller, which told a mysterious, engrossing and suspenseful story that had me invested from start to finish. Due to its middling reviews, I was expecting a pretty mediocre film, but, I must admit, I now think it's very underrated. I will definitely be revisiting this one soon - I loved it.
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