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47 Meters Down

47 Meters Down

No way out. No way up. No chance in hell.

201789 minPG-13Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
Director
Johannes Roberts
Starring
Mandy Moore, Claire Holt, Matthew Modine, Chris Johnson

Two sisters on Mexican vacation are trapped in a shark observation cage at the bottom of the ocean, with oxygen running low and great whites circling nearby, they have less than an hour of air left to figure out how to get to the surface.

Where to watch

Where can I watch 47 Meters Down?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists 47 Meters Down streaming on STARZ and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about 47 Meters Down?

47 Meters Down earns 3 badges, led by 10× return and Broadly Agreed.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is 47 Meters Down worth watching?

47 Meters Down's Midcredits score is the 26th percentile of all films, from 195K ratings across 6 sources. 31% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

26th percentile

Better received than 26% of films

69th percentile among Horror27th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)31st
Approval (how many liked it)24th

56 /100

31st percentile of all films

76th percentile among Horror33rd percentile among 2010s

Critics 52 · Audience 56

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.7 — solid but not unanimous.

31% liked it

24th percentile of all films

65th percentile among Horror24th percentile among 2010s
31% rated it 7–1069% rated it 1–6

Critics 53% · Audience 36%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 2 noms overall

97th percentile

195K ratings across platforms

97th percentile among Horror97th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 33% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$5.3M
Opening weekend$11M
Domestic gross$44M
Worldwide gross$62M

Returned 11.7× its budget — 91st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both fans and detractors acknowledge the film's intense and suspenseful moments, but fans see them as effective while detractors find them reliant on jump scares.

Fans praised

  • effective claustrophobic tension
  • genuine jump scares with a solid twist
  • surprisingly good despite low expectations

Detractors panned

  • generic shark movie with incoherent plot
  • repetitive dialogue and exposition
  • relies on cheap jump scares, not real suspense

What stands out

Atmosphere70

claustrophobic and tense underwater environment

TensionDivisive65

genuine moments of suspense, but some find it just jump scares

ActingDivisive55

lead actresses give believable if sometimes over-the-top performances

PacingDivisive50

boring pace for some, but others find it takes off nicely

Plot and storyDivisive45

formulaic premise with predictable twists, but some find it effective

DialogueDivisive35

terrible and repetitive dialogue, characters state the obvious

OriginalityDivisive35

nothing new in the shark genre, though some appreciate the twist

Characters30

lame and uninteresting characters who make dumb decisions

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men even
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 3 points apart
  • Critics vs users 6 points apart
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is 47 Meters Down like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want to be scared.

It is intense and leaves you haunted. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDreadContemplative
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Brutal · 7% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its survival horror premise straight, with earnest performances and no winking at the audience.
The rideThe film maintains a high-pressure, claustrophobic tension from the moment the cage drops, with dread and anxiety dominating nearly every scene.
StructureThe story is told in linear order, from the setup on the boat to the descent, the struggle on the ocean floor, and the rescue attempt.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Haunted.

Haunting · 14% of filmsBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe twist ending leaves a haunting impression, and the survival of only one sister gives a bittersweet aftertaste.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterPredator
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% (this title) · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Predator: A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeTwo sisters are trapped in a shark cage on the ocean floor, hunted by great white sharks and racing against their oxygen supply. The primary archetype is overcoming the monster (predator subtype) and the castaway plot type reflects their isolated struggle to survive.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% (this title) · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

SurvivalFamily bondsTrauma · 7% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on the immediate, life-or-death struggle to survive against sharks and dwindling oxygen, with the sisters' bond tested under extreme pressure.
StanceThe film presents the ocean and shark encounter as a mortal danger, warning of the fragility of life and the consequences of reckless adventure.

The world

ContemporaryWildernessIn transitRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · tomandandy
SettingA tourist boat and the ocean floor off a Mexican resort coast.
MusicThe score uses tense, percussive motifs to heighten the underwater dread.

Content guide

Is 47 Meters Down okay for kids?

PG-13

47 Meters Down is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense peril, bloody images, and brief strong language” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (64/100), sexual content at mild (27/100), language at moderate (41/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (29/100) and frightening material at intense (73/100). Overall it is heavier than 85% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 13 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • Ireland15A
  • JapanG
  • South Korea15
  • Hungary16
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway15
  • Russia16+
  • SK15
  • Spain12
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 53% of all filmsHeavier than 85% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 82%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 46%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 49%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 37%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 92%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is frightening material and violence. Everything else sits at or below what PG-13-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does 47 Meters Down have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in 47 Meters Down?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Mandy Moore
as Lisa
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Claire Holt
as Kate
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Matthew Modine
as Captain Taylor
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Chris Johnson
as Javier
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Yani Gellman
as Louis
Santiago Segura
as Benjamin
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like 47 Meters Down?

Movies like 47 Meters Down include 47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019), Shark Bait (2022) and Open Water 3: Cage Dive (2017). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films written by Ernest Riera, and all are survival thrillers.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

8 of these 12 share its world: at sea. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with 47 Meters Down?

578 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: animal. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.