You’d think that surviving the rigors of outer space would be as tough as it gets. In Above the Below, re-entry to Earth is where the true disaster and fight for survival begins, as three astronauts are trapped on a ship sinking to the bottom of the ocean, with no means of reaching out for help.
Above the Below marks the sophomore directorial effort by Idris Elba, who also leads the cast along with Caitlin Fitzgerald and Hero Fiennes Tiffin. Elba co-directs alongside Martin Owen. Elba made his directorial debut with 2018’s Yardie. Matt Mitchell, Elizabeth Morris, and Vicki Sargent collaborated on the screenplay.
A self-contained thriller is, I think, one of the best ways for a filmmaker to show their chops at ratcheting up tension and paranoia in a claustrophobic space. Elba’s never done this sort of thing before, and it will be interesting to see how he pulls it off.
SYNOPSIS: “When three astronauts survive a catastrophic fall from space, they become trapped in the crushing depths of the ocean with oxygen rapidly running out. Facing a race against time where every breath could be their last, they must make impossible choices about who will risk everything to reach the surface and who may be left behind. Idris Elba co-directs and stars in this survival-thriller alongside Caitlin Fitzgerald and Hero Fiennes Tiffin.”
Above the Below hits theaters on December 4th from Lionsgate.
