Beneath (2013)

My quick rating 4,9/10. The trapped in the coal mine flick is back. Being trapped with "something" is a common theme for horror/thriller movies to use so can't go anywhere really on originality. Ther are a few good things about this movie even though it is straight formula. The most important is the way the focus is back and forth between something being down there (demon, spirit, etc.) or just hallucinations due to lack of oxygen and the miners losing it mentally. Throughout he whole movie you will be wondering which it is (and no i am not saying). The other plus is the fact that the use of lighting is well done to only allow the lights the characters have illuminate the scene. That being said the movie spends a solid 10 minutes of an 80 minute film in complete darkness. Literally. This doesn't mix too well with often entirely to shaky footage when you can see. This major distraction is unbearable at some parts and takes away greatly from what could've been a good flick. Still worth seeing but I suggest on cable.

A likable bunch of hardworking hard drinking miners, are accompanied by their manager's daughter, on his last day before retirement, who wants to see where daddy works before she loses the chance. Of course, her timing couldn't be worse, as they unknowingly breach an unmarked cavity, triggering a cave-in that seals them all deep beneath the rocky earth. This of course is only the start of their problems, and things go rapidly and gorily downhill from there By now there's been a fair number of horrors that involve people being trapped underground, and conceptually, it doesn't offer a lot of story lines beyond panicking protagonists, flooded tunnels, falling rocks, monsters, and claustrophobia. Unless, I don't know, somebody does one where they find a fairground run by history teachers, or starts a progressive jazz band with a drum playing bear or some groundbreaking sh*t. Neil Marshall's iconic The Descent is probably the standout movie in this field for most of us, and Beneath draws more than a few parallels to it, although without directly ripping it off.. There aren't any monsters, but plenty of horribly creepy psychological/supernatural scares, ghastly make-up FX, and a cool reference to a morbid tale of olden day miners, whose true story forms the inspirational basis for this film. What's best about it though, is the rock solid production and granite performances from each and every cast member. All the characters are believable, and play their parts to perfection with some quality dialog to chew and even some brilliantly dry humor, at the start anyway . You really feel sorry for them when it all starts going south. Lighting and score work together effortlessly to create a desperate atmosphere of constant dread and unease, also of note is the use of sound, namely the eerie rumbles and strange noises emanating from the earth above, distant screams, and general audio ambiance that lends to a thoroughly convincing sense of being trapped down there with them. Those of you with decent systems will want to crank it up a little for perfect viewing. And of course, kill the lights. I heartily recommend it for anyone seeking an evening of professionally engineered scares.

Beneath is the story of a group of miners who get into trouble after a cave-in traps them hundreds of feet underground. Help is expected within 72 hours, so the group hold out in a specially made chamber built for emergencies. However, what they didn't expect is to start hearing & seeing things, and as panic & paranoia start to set in, the miner's start to gradually turn on each other.Beneath is a very under-rated little movie, and is much better than some people give it credit for. Whether they were expecting a Descent type of horror, or something more like the usual "more gore, less story" types we are used to, I don't know, but whatever it is, the movie is nowhere near as bad as they say it is.Beneath is the kind of film that plays a lot on people's fears such as claustrophobia, being trapped, and the darkness rather than relying on visuals & gore all the time. You do see certain things and there is some gore, but this isn't the main reliant to scare the audience...the atmosphere is, and it is put to good use as it brings out quite a good few creepy moments throughout.The tension & suspense is also really good, and this builds nicely as the film goes on. It's not one of those movies where you get a build up to nothing much then a long dull lull before another build up. The visuals for some of the creepy moments are really well done, especially for a low-budget movie. They aren't cheap, cheesy looking effects, and they do genuinely freak you out somewhat. Add this to the really good atmosphere I mentioned and you have yourself an enjoyable chiller of a movie.Also just as a quick note, it says at the start of the movie that it's inspired by true events. This doesn't mean it's a true story. A true story and inspired by true events are totally different, so don't complain you can't find anything on the story and that you got a pile of "made up rubbish".Well written, well acted, and well filmed. Definitely recommended.

Never was a big fan of the underground/descent style movies. This one was pretty good. I think the creepiest movies are the ones that draw upon natural fears. Claustrophobia is one of mine and the thought of being underground when freaky stuff happens, and the possibility of running out of light and/or oxygen makes for a tense movie. To the people that poo-poo on the "inspired by actual events": That is way different than "Based on a true story". There have been plenty of cave-ins and plenty of miners dead and some where miners survive. So who knows which one "inspired" the writers of this film. Chill out and enjoy a good movie.