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Black Water: Abyss

Black Water: Abyss

Descend into fear.

202098 minNot RatedMidcredits score: 7th percentile of all films
Director
Andrew Traucki
Starring
Jessica McNamee, Luke Mitchell, Amali Golden, Benjamin Hoetjes

An adventure-loving couple convince their friends to explore a remote, uncharted cave system in the forests of Northern Australia. With a tropical storm approaching, they abseil into the mouth of the cave, but when the caves start to flood, tensions rise as oxygen levels fall and the friends find themselves trapped. Unknown to them, the storm has also brought in a pack of dangerous and hungry crocodiles.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Black Water: Abyss?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Black Water: Abyss streaming on Pluto TV (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Black Water: Abyss?

Black Water: Abyss earns 2 badges, led by Overhyped and Single location.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Black Water: Abyss worth watching?

Black Water: Abyss' Midcredits score is the 7th percentile of all films, from 8.4K ratings across 2 sources. 14% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

7th percentile

Better received than 7% of films

8th percentile among Adventure8th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)14th
Approval (how many liked it)3rd

48 /100

14th percentile of all films

15th percentile among Adventure17th percentile among 2020s

Rating distribution

The crowd leans negative, with most ratings sitting in the bottom half of the scale.

Approval

How many liked it

14% liked it

3rd percentile of all films

3rd percentile among Adventure4th percentile among 2020s
14% rated it 7–1086% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

88th percentile

7.9K ratings across platforms

81st percentile among Adventure88th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 14% in 30 days

Box office

Worldwide gross$1.1M

34th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A group of people get trapped in a cave with a hungry crocodile, with most of the threat kept unseen underwater.

Fans praised

  • suspenseful, tense atmosphere with effective dread
  • realistic crocodile attacks and believable creature design
  • well-cast with believable, non-irritating characters

Detractors panned

  • predictable, generic plot with no originality
  • dull, forgettable characters making stupid decisions
  • tedious pacing with long stretches of nothing happening

What stands out

AtmosphereDivisive60

claustrophobic setting and unseen threat create tension; other reviews say it fails

TensionDivisive50

some decent underwater scares but mostly dull and unexciting

Effects and spectacleDivisive40

croc CGI is lousy in final act but practical attacks feel realistic

CharactersDivisive25

blatantly stupid decisions, unnecessary melodrama, generic archetypes

PacingDivisive25

slow first half, then tedious; some say it builds suspense

Plot and storyDivisive20

extremely predictable, full of clichés, relies on contrivance

OriginalityDivisive10

nothing new; rehashes every cave-predator trope

EndingDivisive10

ridiculous, contrived, laughable; ruins any goodwill

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 1 point apart
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Black Water: Abyss like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want to be scared.

It is intense and leaves you unsettled.

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

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
DreadTenseThrilling
Heaviest: late
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Single location · 5% of films: Confined to essentially one place throughout.
ToneThe film plays its survival premise straight, with a grim, unflinching focus on the danger and desperation of the situation.
The rideThe film maintains a consistent sense of dread and tension, building to a climactic confrontation likely in the final act.
StructureThe story unfolds in a straightforward sequence, almost entirely within the confines of the cave system as the group attempts to survive.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Unsettled.

Unsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you with a lingering sense of unease about the danger of the wild and the fragility of life.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet 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

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeFive friends are trapped in a cave system with a hungry crocodile, forced to survive and evade the predator until they can escape.

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% · 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% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% (this title) · 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

SurvivalIsolation · 5% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe central struggle is staying alive against a concrete predatory threat in a remote, isolated location.
StanceThe film presents the survival struggle neutrally as a life-or-death scenario, without overt moral judgment.

The world

ContemporaryWildernessInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score · Michael Lira
SettingA remote cave system in Northern Australia
MusicThe score likely uses ambient tones to build tension in the cave setting.

Content guide

Is Black Water: Abyss okay for kids?

Not Rated

Black Water: Abyss is not rated. As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (53/100), sexual content at minimal (10/100), language at moderate (53/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (29/100) and frightening material at intense (64/100). Overall it is heavier than 44% of unrated films.

Ratings in 6 other countries
  • UK15
  • Germany16
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil14
  • Russia16+
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 44% of all filmsHeavier than 44% of unrated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an unrated film
heavier than 45%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for an unrated film
heavier than 12%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for an unrated film
heavier than 62%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for an unrated film
heavier than 24%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an unrated film
heavier than 61%

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

The reason to think twice is frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what unrated 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 Black Water: Abyss have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Black Water: Abyss?

Cast

Jessica McNamee
as Jennifer
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Luke Mitchell
as Eric
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Amali Golden
as Yolanda
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Benjamin Hoetjes
as Viktor
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Anthony J. Sharpe
as Cash
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Louis Toshio Okada
as Akito
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Rumi Kikuchi
as Miyuki
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Anna Kubat
as Extra
Nicole Collett
as Extra
Troy Black
as Extra

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Black Water: Abyss?

Movies like Black Water: Abyss include Black Water (2007), The Reef (2010) and 47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films by Andrew Traucki, and all are survival stories.

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

11 of these 12 share its story type: creature feature. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Black Water: Abyss?

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