Fear Below (2025) Review – A Shark Film That Bites Back with Grit and Style

Fear Below Is More Than a Shark Movie – It's Jaws Meets The Godfather Underwater

Let’s get this out of the way — Fear Below is a shark movie. But not just a shark movie. It's a 1940s-set, gold-heist-meets-gangsters-meets-deep-sea-horror thrill ride where everyone’s on edge, underwater, or both.

Directed by Matthew Holmes and starring Hermione Corfield, Jake Ryan, and Josh McConville, Fear Below drops us into the Australian outback (and underwater) with a trio of gangsters, a lost truck full of gold, and an uninvited bull shark who clearly did not get the “we’re doing crime here” memo.

And you know what? It kinda slaps.

🧊 The Setup: Treasure, Tension, and Teeth

It all kicks off with a good ol’ fashioned heist gone wrong. Some gangsters boost a shipment of gold bullion (or “bunion,” if you're feeling Aussie about it) and accidentally dump it into a murky lake. Their brilliant plan? Hire an innocent diving crew to retrieve it — without telling them what’s really down there.

Enter Claraara, Ernie, and Jimmy — our likeable, underpaid diving trio. They’re just here to do a job. But what they don’t know is they’re stuck between two predators: one with fins, the other with guns.

And the lake? Oh, it’s home to a particularly cranky bull shark who’s clearly had it with humans and their nonsense.

🌊 Sharknado This Ain't

If you’re burned out on low-budget shark films where the CGI is worse than a PS2 cutscene and characters exist solely to get chomped — Fear Below is a welcome surprise.

No, it doesn’t reinvent the genre, but it respects it. There's genuine tension, especially in the murky underwater scenes where visibility is practically zero. Instead of overexposing the shark in goofy daylight kills, the movie leans into the gloom — giving off found-footage vibes in all the right ways.

You feel the isolation. You feel the fear. And you absolutely feel that this shark is not just a monster — it’s a force of nature.

Bonus points: they even explain its aggression. (Pregnancy. Yep. Mama Shark is not to be messed with.)

🎭 Characters You Actually Care About

This is where Fear Below really floats above the rest.

The divers are more than shark chow. Claraara’s tough but smart, Ernie’s the grizzled team leader, and Jimmy — an Indigenous diver with deep ties to the water — brings heart and skill to the group. These aren’t cardboard cutouts. They feel real.

Even the gangsters are more than moustache-twirling baddies. Jake Ryan’s Dylan oozes menace with just enough charm to make you uneasy. His crew is classic crime fare: the ruthless enforcer and the naïve rookie, both distinct and well-acted. You know they’re scumbags, but you’re weirdly invested in their downfall.

The result? A cast you root for — or against — with actual stakes. Not just “who gets eaten next?”

🛠️ Production Value: Surprisingly Solid

Let’s talk about the look of this thing.

Set in the 1940s, Fear Below nails the period. The vehicles, diving suits, and general aesthetic all feel bang-on. There’s no modern tech breaking immersion, and it’s clear the filmmakers actually tried to make things feel authentic. That alone puts it miles ahead of most shark-on-demand fare.

Sound design is minimal but effective — the silence underwater feels oppressive, and the surface scenes have a nice crunch when things go south (which, spoiler, happens a lot).

The only weak point? The underwater murk might frustrate viewers hoping for clearer shark action. But honestly, it works better for suspense. You’re not supposed to see everything. That’s the point.

🦈 Final Bite: More Than Just Another Shark Flick

At its core, Fear Below is a survival thriller with a split personality — half crime drama, half aquatic horror. And somehow, it works. It doesn’t insult your intelligence. It builds tension slowly, adds weight to the characters, and delivers the gnarly shark action right when it counts.

It’s not flawless. A bit more creative camera work or standout kills could’ve given it more bite. And sure, the pacing sags in places.

But considering the genre’s track record? This thing’s practically Jaws with gold bullion.

Land of Geek Rating: 7.5/10

Fear Below doesn’t reinvent the shark-horror genre, but it brings enough teeth, tension, and character depth to stand tall (or swim deep) among its many forgettable peers. With solid performances, an engaging 1940s setting, and a bull shark with serious attitude, this Aussie horror-thriller earns its bite.

✅ Pros

• Unique premise – gangster gold heist meets shark horror? Sign us up.
• Solid period setting – authentic costumes, gear, and vehicles pull you into the 1940s vibe.
• Character-driven – the divers and gangsters are actually fleshed out, not just shark bait.
• Underwater tension works – murky visibility adds realism and suspense.
• Decent surface attack scenes – brutal and surprisingly effective for the genre.

❌ Cons

• Underwater visuals can frustrate – murky water hides action, which may annoy some viewers.
• Shark isn’t always the main threat – if you're here for nonstop shark attacks, it’s more thriller than creature feature.
• Pacing dips in the middle – a few slower scenes could’ve used more bite.
• Limited gore – horror fans looking for over-the-top kills may find it a little too restrained.
• Audio design could be punchier – more underwater sounds or score tension would’ve elevated the immersion.

Fear Below is one of the more thoughtful and entertaining entries in the endless sea of shark flicks. The gangsters are mean, the divers are likeable, and the shark? She's hangry, hormonal, and absolutely terrifying.

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