Top 10 Scariest Deep Sea Movies
Top 10 Scariest Deep Sea Movies
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These films give us all a case of Thalassophobia. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Scariest Deep Sea Movies. For this list, we’ll be looking at the most terror-inducing films set on (or in) the deep, dark sea. To qualify, it must be either set predominately out in the depths of the ocean or have important scenes set at the same. Rivers, lakes, beachshores, and other shallow waters are excluded. With a spoiler warning now in place, let’s dive in.
#10: “Below” (2002)
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In this horror piece, paranoia and superstition run rampant aboard a WWII naval submarine after the crew rescues the survivors of a British hospital ship. In the confined space and following the shooting of a German POW, eerie events begin to plague the submariners - such as disembodied voices, unexplained mechanical failures, and hallucinations. Tensions mount as the crew and rescuees begin to turn on one another. We’d say it’s probably best not to watch this one if you’ve got a bad case of claustrophobia; it will keep you on edge.
#9: “Dead Calm” (1989)
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If you thought danger only lurked below the waves, you were dead wrong. A husband and wife take to the high seas to emotionally heal after the death of their son. Far from land, they encounter a boat in distress, the sole survivor asking for help after claiming that their ship is sinking and the other ship occupants died of food poisoning. In fact, the mystery man is a violent murderer who takes the woman hostage and now the couple must do everything they can to reunite - and survive. And you thought you had to be on dry land to worry about a home invasion.
#8: “Open Water” (2003)
Good thing these terrifying films are just works of fiction, right? Right! Less so with this entry. 2003’s “Open Water” is loosely based on the tragic story of Tom and Eileen Lonergan, a couple who were left behind after their deep-sea scuba diving group went back to shore without them. They were never found. While the Lonergans’ true experience during their final hours is unknown, the fact that the film is grounded in reality only makes the harrowing ordeal of the fictional Daniel Kintner and Susan Watkins (a nightmare that involves hunger, dehydration, and shark attacks) all the more horrifying.
#7: “Deep Blue Sea” (1999)
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After that grisly account, how about a little Samuel L. Jackson as a palate cleanser? Out on a deep-sea research facility, a team of scientists become the prey of their own subjects - genetically altered, super intelligent sharks. With the facility steadily sinking, they must get above the surface and to safety as the sharks steadily gain ground (er, water). Full of shocks and genuine scares as the team is hunted throughout their desperate getaway, this inventive take on the killer shark genre is definitely not one you want to miss.
#6: “47 Meters Down” (2017)
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Sisters Lisa and Kate go on vacation following Lisa’s break-up with her boyfriend. Because terror is apparently an antidote for heartache, they decide to drop into a shark cage for a good time. Unfortunately, a heart is not the only thing that is broken: the frayed cable holding their cage snaps and they plummet, you guessed it, 47 meters down into the water. Trapped with great whites circling them, it’s not just the sharks the girls have to worry about. Low on air, under immense pressure, and with failed repeat escape attempts, it’s clear throughout they’re in deep trouble.
#5: “Underwater” (2020)
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Just in case you thought sharks weren’t scary enough … Down on the ocean floor, a drilling operation turns deadly when an undersea earthquake strikes. Part of the operation is flooded and the team must find a way to escape to safety. As if that’s not bad enough, it turns out their dig might have unearthed something never before seen by humans and the crew soon finds themselves under attack from the monsters. A proper creature feature with a deep, dark watery twist, this one will make you glad you’re safe on dry land.
#4: “Sphere” (1998)
After discovering what appears to be an alien spacecraft on the bottom of the ocean, a team is recruited to investigate. They estimate it’s been there for about 3 centuries. However, when they board they find the advanced technology in working order, the dead crew (the dead human crew), and a huge, mysterious sphere. Soon, a series of incidents begin to plague the experts, with their worst fears manifesting on board. Reality and illusion become warped, with the survivors fighting the force they’ve inherited (as well as each other) to make it out alive.
#3: “The Perfect Storm” (2000)
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We’ve seen the dangers of drowning, sharks, and mass-murderers on the high-seas, but what about that oldest of standbys? Weather. Based loosely on the real-life events of the 1991 Perfect Storm and the tragic sinking of the Andrea Gail, the film is all the more gut-wrenching and heart-pounding for its ties to real life. The fishing vessel and crew are on their way back from a late-season fishing expedition in the Atlantic when they encounter an unprecedented storm formed of multiple bad weather fronts and a hurricane, dooming the ship and its crew. Gripping and brutal, this is a nightmare on the waves.
#2: “The Abyss” (1989)
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After a nuclear submarine sinks off the ledge of an abyss following an encounter with an unknown object, a SEAL team is sent to investigate. Boarding an experimental drilling rig, disaster strikes when an attempt to recover a Trident missile goes terribly wrong and the rig is nearly pulled into the chasm. An unknown lifeform boards the rig, and while it seems merely curious, tensions and paranoia rise among the SEAL team. The film boasts special effects that still hold up to this day, and one of the most brutal drowning scenes ever put to film. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “Ghost Ship” (2002) It’s Not the Flying Dutchman But Hey, Can You Have Too Many Cursed Ships Filled with Ghosts? “Leviathan” (1989) Drilling the Ocean Floor Seems to Only End in Chaos, Monsters, & (in This Case) Horrible Mutations. “The Poseidon Adventure” (1972) What’s Worse Than Trying to Escape a Slowly Sinking Ship? Try Doing It Upside Down. “The Reef” (2010) A Trip Through Shark-Infested Waters Isn’t So Bad … as Long as You Still Have a Boat. “Triangle” (2009) The Bermuda Triangle Lives Up to Legend When Boat Passengers Are Forced onto Another Ship & Things Take a Turn for the Mysterious & Eerie.
#1: “Jaws” (1975)
Come on, could it be anything else? And while, yes, much of this film takes place in more shallow waters, the most iconic and harrowing moments are out in the depths. The tourist destination town of Amity Island is preparing for its summer when a killer shark rolls into town. At first the mayor tries to keep it quiet, but it’s not long before it’s clear to all that death lurks beneath the waves. This movie has been terrifying audiences for years, leaving many who see it (even nearly 50 years after release) afraid to go in the water. It’s the standard to which all aquatic terror flicks are held, and for good reason.
