The Dive Review | Tense Underwater Thriller Leaves You Breathless

Estranged sisters attempting to rekindle their relationship suffer a catastrophic accident while exploring an underwater cave. The Dive is a harrowing, real-time thriller that guarantees this author will never set foot in scuba gear. Tense action scenes are juxtaposed with regretful memories and fantasy retellings of what could have been. The protagonists’ love for each other is brought to the forefront by a situation neither could have ever imagined. The drama does run a little thick, but the life or death scenario keeps you gasping for air until the credits.

Drew (Sophie Lowe) and her older sister, May (Louisa Krause), drive in silence near a remote seaside cliff. They stumble through conversation in an awkward attempt to catch up. The pair haven’t seen each other since their last annual trip. May had no idea that Drew was struggling to find work and had moved back in with their mother. Drew asks if May even enjoys their rare outings together. She answers half-heartedly before quickly deflecting.

The sisters collect their heavy equipment and walk down a rocky path to the turbulent ocean. The more experienced May methodically checks everything. They have face masks with a communications system that will allow them to talk underwater. May also makes sure the safety line and flashlights are packed. They descend into the inky blue water looking for the cave entrance. A crack in the rocks leads to a small recess with enough space to raise their heads. May releases oxygen from her tank to fill the chamber with air.

Underwater Trouble

RLJE Films

Drew inquires again if everything is alright between them. Are these trips even worth it? May delivers another cold response. They get back to exploring the cave in silence. The sisters reach open water at the cliff’s bottom. Suddenly, a rock slide from above rains down debris. Drew clutches to a wall, but May is hit and knocked down below. A desperate Drew screams into the intercom for her sister. There’s no response. She can’t see May’s light.

Drew dives past the fallen rocks through a cloud of silt. She hears a faint murmur through static. Drew plows ahead until May comes in clearer. May waves her light to get Drew’s attention. Her leg is trapped underneath a huge boulder. May only has 25 minutes of air left. Drew begins to panic. May tells her to calm down, stay composed, and set her timer. Drew must race to the surface, get their back-up tanks, and call for help. There’s a tire jack in the trunk. Maybe that can lift the rock. Drew has no time to waste, but she also has to contend with decompression sickness on a rapid ascent. Nitrogen bubbles in her blood can be fatal.

What can go wrong does. Drew’s frantic efforts to get more air and call for help are thwarted. She also can’t open the car’s trunk to retrieve the jack. An onscreen timer counts down ominously as she wonders what the hell to do. Meanwhile, May measures her breaths carefully while contemplating their past. The film flashes back to the sisters as young girls training with their father. This is a recurring theme as May feels the effects of nitrogen narcosis. She starts to hallucinate and regrets her earlier terse responses.

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The Dive has Drew going back and forth underwater to save her sister. Every step takes time, uses more air, and puts May in further peril. Drew also contends with the painful and debilitating bends. May begs her to stop periodically and get acclimated to the changing pressure. Drew refuses as precious seconds can make a difference. The emotional divide between the sisters vanishes as May’s death seems an inevitable conclusion. They’re both overcome with guilt for letting petty differences and deep-seated resentment take hold.

Further Peril

RLJE Films

German writer/director Maximilian Erlenwein (Skylines, Stereo) does a superb job of filming the underwater action. The sisters’ diving and scuba expertise never confuses the audience. Technical jargon doesn’t obstruct tension. Their dialogue succinctly explains what every device does and its relative importance. You learn just enough to understand what’s needed. Erlenwein captures the claustrophobic hysteria of being alone and stuck in the pitch black darkness. Mays dwindling flashlight is akin to hope dissipating. Good camera work and editing also sells the 360 degree environment. The film looks and feels realistic.

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The flashback scenes become distracting as the plot progresses. The human connection between the sisters is a thread worth exploring, but the film repeatedly cuts away from the primary storyline at inopportune times. A specific instance is particularly strange when a climactic moment is nearly deflated. Erlenwein wants to insert a poetic element in the story. That makes artistic sense, but it’s overdone to a fault here.

The Dive is an overall lean, capably acted thriller. Lowe and Krause are believable as sisters fighting to save each other. The film serves as a reminder to never let hurt feelings go unsaid between loved ones. You might never get the chance to express them and find closure.

The Dive is a production of Falkun Films, Logical Pictures, MFG Film, and Protagonist Pictures. It is currently in limited theatrical release and available on demand from RLJE Films.

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