No Way Up – Movie Review (3/5)

NO WAY UP is a new Shark Survival thriller where the sharks aren’t the biggest threat – not at first, anyway. Most of the movie plays out onboard a submerged airplane with a small cast and a good pace. Read our full No Way Up movie review here!

NO WAY UP is a new thriller that has both a plane crash survival story and is part shark horror movie. While the sharks become the biggest threat, they aren’t at first. After all, crashing into the ocean happens before they ever get close to the sharks.

The cast is fairly small as most of the movie plays out onboard an airplane. Or rather, the very tail-end of a plane. Also, the runtime of 90 minutes lands in a very good place for this kind of story. Overall, this is a shark survival thriller you’ll want to check out.

Continue reading our No Way Up movie review below. Find it in limited theaters and On Demand from February 16, 2024.

“What’s a shark doing on a plane?”

Yes, the words “What’s a shark doing on a plane?” are spoken in No Way Up. However, the tagline for No Way Up is “Brace yourself” which is very appropriate.

Especially as the characters go through a plane crash we see in a very visceral way. Not unlike the Netflix movie Society of the Snow though this one is still much milder. Unfortunately, as surviving the plane crash is just one part of the story.

As they crashland in the ocean, the lucky survivors are left in an airlock at the very tail-end of the plane. This is about as good a situation as you could hope for when the crashed plane is submerged in the vast ocean.

However, the plane continues to slide further down and there are sharks. The sharks are around the airplane and also manage to get inside through a huge gap in the side of the hull. Right where the dead are bleeding out, which clearly attracts even more sharks.

Survival for the few

Ava (Sophie McIntosh) is one of the few survivors. She’s the daughter of the Governor of California and is traveling with her bodyguard Brandon (Colm Meaney) in tow. She pretends he’s forced upon her by her father. However, we see them talking at the airport and she’s the one who asks him to come with her. The two clearly have a sweet bond.

Ava was heading to Cabo for a fun getaway with her boyfriend and their friend. A few others end up in the airlocked cabin, but not many survive the crash. Now they must all fight to survive even though it’s against the odds that they make it.

Regarding the sharks, I’m pleased to say that they look really good. It doesn’t get too crazy and when humans and sharks collide (which they do several times), it looks very real. None of the crazy CGI that is meant to scare but also looks very fake. In No Way Up, the sharks generally look real, which is obviously much scarier!

Watch No Way Up in theaters and On Demand

Claudio Fäh is the director of No Way Up who directed a few episodes of the Swiss TV series Wilder before directing this shark survival story. The screenplay was written by Andy Mayson, and it’s his debut. He usually produces and has produced movies such as Let Me In, The Girl with All the Gifts, and Guns Akimbo. Plus this one, of course.

I do want to also mention some of the wonderful actors in this movie. They include Phyllis Logan (Downton Abbey), Manuel Pacific (Terminator: Dark Fate), and Will Attenborough (Dunkirk).

Whether you’re in the mood for a shark horror movie or a classic survival thriller, No Way Up can deliver. The runtime of 90 minutes is sharp enough that I can’t complain too much about it. However, I must mention that a few of the scenes meant to pull on our heartstrings could’ve been cut a bit shorter. Or maybe that’s just my personal preference?!

NO WAY UP is out in limited theaters and On Demand from February 16, 2024.

Details

Director: Claudio Fäh
Writer: Andy Mayson
Stars: Colm Meaney, Sophie McIntosh, Phyllis Logan, Manuel Pacific, Grace Nettle, Jeremias Amoore, Will Attenborough, James Carroll Jordan