Black Water: Abyss – Review (3/5)

BLACK WATER: ABYSS is a new horror movie from Australia. We’re in the crocodile horror niche and this one works pretty damn well. And it should since it’s a spiritual sequel to the 2007 movie Black Water by the same director. Read our full Black Water: Abyss movie review here!

BLACK WATER: ABYSS is a new horror movie featuring the threats of a hungry crocodile. The movie is from Australia and it’s a sequel (of sorts) to the 2007 horror movie Black Water which is also in the crocodile horror niche.

If we forget the more irritating elements of the ending, I really enjoyed this movie. Also, it should be noted that we watched this just days after the Thai horror movie The Pool which also features a crocodile. Of the two, Black Water: Abyss has much higher production value and is much more elegant in most ways. If you liked The Pool (watch it on Shudder), then do check out this one as well. You should be pleased.

Recommended reading: Our review of the Shudder horror movie The Pool which features a couple trapped in a deep empty pool with a crocodile >

Continue reading our full Black Water: Abyss movie review below.

Like The Descent but with a crocodile!

Okay, comparing Dark Water: Abyss with the brilliant 2005 Neil Marshall horror movie The Descent is definitely over-selling this sequel. However, it does work in the sense that a group of friends decides to explore some caves and end up trapped inside them. Also, there is a crocodile that makes it damn hard for them to escape.

Yes, with this sequel, we’re in a cave when a storm results in it being flooded. The friends aren’t being idiots about it, which is a nice change. However, they will do things that should irritate you. That’s part of what drives the plot forward.

I did not, however, care for all the relationship drama. Totally unnecessary. Why can’t people just be good and decent to one another? Both in relationships grounded in romance and friendship. Actually, this is what drives me a bit crazy towards the end.

Sure, you’ll “call it” before it’s ever actually revealed, but it’s such a trope that it should come as no surprise. Also, the ending itself goes a bit crazy in a 47 Meters Down: Uncaged sort of way. The two movies aren’t really similar in many ways. Still, due to the whole “being trapped in a cave with a water predator” there are similarities.

Watch Black Water: Abyss on VOD now!

The director of Black Water: Abyss is one of the two directors behind the first Black Water movie from 2007. His name is Andrew Traucki and he wrote and directed the first movie with David Nerlich. Since the two movies are very separate plots, you don’t have to have watched the first movie.

For this follow-up crocodile horror movie, the script is written by John Ridley and Sarah Smith. They both worked on various TV series and most recently Bite Club which is about a group of shark attack survivors. In other words, they’re pretty involved with the whole “water predator” storylines in various ways.

Overall, I really did enjoy watching this movie. Also, the actors all worked really well and the characters were (for the most part) really likable which is always a huge plus. The movie also earns a lot of points for avoiding bad CGI and opting for fewer shots of the crocodile and choosing the set and perfectly creepy tone instead. Often, the scariest part is that you don’t actually see where the danger is!

Black Water: Abyss is out on VOD from August 7, 2020.

Details

Director: Andrew Traucki
Writers: John Ridley and Sarah Smith
Stars: Jessica McNamee (The Meg), Luke Mitchell (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Amali Golden (Bloom), Benjamin Hoetjes (The Code), Anthony J. Sharpe (Robert the Bruce)