Exciting and Effective

Far better than the first non-sequel, this one "dives" right into the Mayan caves, holding nothing back. There's a lot more at stake too with four girls as main characters instead of just two as in the first film. Plus, the stakes are raised with not only a lurking great white to contend with, but a handful of natural disasters. The girls must remain calm while fighting against unknown waters; not an easy feat in this dangerous underwater venture.

Writing Quality: Good and engaging. The camaraderie among the friends works well as they explore an ancient temple. The plot is filled with unexpected turns, literally, with events rapidly culminating into an intensified situation.

Scare factor: A few jump scares throughout. I screamed, my eyes cowered. It was great! The death scenes were non-gory and nicely captured with stunning cinematography; at one point, you see the reflection of blood as a red glow in the ruins--visually captivating. The great white is terrifying. The director rewards us with many close-up shots of its massive face and eerie albino eyes. One of the more effective moves, though, are the shots where we see the shark silently drifting behind its next victim. . .and when you think the shark is done surprising you, think again.

Content (sex, language & violence): No sex. No language (but some girls flip off another girl). Violence occurs when the shark thrusts its body through the water unexpectedly and takes its victims.

Values: The dueling sisters learn to be there for one another. Friendship and family bonds are highly prized.

As a bonus, we could feel the vibrations of the sound effects through our seats!

#47metersdownUncaged