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Submerged

Submerged

You can't scream and hold your breath at the same time.

201699 minNot RatedMidcredits score: 5th percentile of all films
Director
Steven C. Miller
Starring
Jonathan Bennett, Talulah Riley, Tim Daly, Mario Van Peebles

A limo ride turns hellish as several kidnappers set their sights on the young people inside.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Submerged?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Submerged streaming on AMC+ and Sundance Now via Apple TV and to rent or buy on Apple TV.

Subscription

via Apple TV

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Submerged?

Submerged earns 3 badges, led by Universally Panned and Nonlinear.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Submerged worth watching?

Submerged's Midcredits score is the 5th percentile of all films, from 2.4K ratings across 5 sources. 14% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

5th percentile

Better received than 5% of films

11th percentile among Action6th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)11th
Approval (how many liked it)3rd

46 /100

11th percentile of all films

19th percentile among Action13th percentile among 2010s

Critics 40 · Audience 47

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

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

6th percentile among Action3rd percentile among 2010s
14% rated it 7–1086% rated it 1–6

Critics 25% · Audience 21%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

57th percentile

2.4K ratings across platforms

43rd percentile among Action61st percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 3% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$10M
Worldwide gross$21K

Returned 0.0× its budget — 9th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A low-budget B-movie survival thriller about people trapped in a sinking limousine, with a non-linear flashback structure that drives both praise for ambition and criticism for confusion.

Fans praised

  • Builds genuine suspense and tension once it gets going
  • Flashbacks effectively develop characters and story
  • Solid direction, decent acting and strong craft for a low-budget indie

Detractors panned

  • Poor acting and awkward facial expressions throughout
  • Confusing non-linear editing and muddled plot construction
  • Shrill, repetitive dialogue full of screaming and cursing

What stands out

TensionDivisive50

anxiety-inducing underwater moments, but inconsistent suspense

AtmosphereDivisive45

claustrophobic tension in the sinking car, but diluted by flashbacks

ActingDivisive30

poor performances, odd facial expressions, a few solid turns (Mario Van Peebles, Tim Daly)

OriginalityDivisive30

generic survival-thriller formula; one decent core idea

Plot and storyDivisive25

underwater premise intriguing but derailed by convoluted gangster subplots

CharactersDivisive20

unlikable, shallow rich kids; some flashback-driven development

PacingDivisive20

dragging mid-section, too many shifts, feels overlong

DialogueDivisive15

flat, functional lines dominated by screaming and blaming

Preferred by

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

  • US vs non-US 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is Submerged like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you can give it your full attention, and you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you satisfied. Skip it when you can only half-watch.

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

What it asks of you

Your full attention.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDreadThrilling
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Melodramatic · 9% of films: Heightened emotion, played large.
Told as
Nonlinear · 6% of films: Events shown out of chronological order.Single location · 5% of films: Confined to essentially one place throughout.
ToneThe film plays its survival premise straight, aiming for tension and drama despite poor execution.
The rideThe pressure of being trapped underwater sustains a constant, high-stakes atmosphere.
StructureThe main action is confined to the submerged limo, but the story is told through extensive flashbacks that explain the kidnapping events.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Satisfied.

Cathartic · 6% of filmsUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe film aims for a release of tension through survival, but the claustrophobic setting and implausible resolution leave an uneasy aftertaste.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous endingTwist

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).Voyage
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · 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% (this title): Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% (this title) · 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%

Voyage and return: Into a strange world and back again, changed. · Survival ordeal: Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).

4% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeThe story centers on characters trapped in a submerged limo, struggling to survive and escape, fitting the survival ordeal pattern of a voyage and return.

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% (this title)
  • 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% · 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

SurvivalLoyalty · 4% 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 film centers on the desperate fight to stay alive in a claustrophobic, flooded environment.
StanceThe film keeps a neutral, observational eye on the characters' survival struggle.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanIn transitRealistic
Orchestral modernElectronicSupportive music · original score · Ryan Dodson
SettingA limousine submerged in a canal after being forced off the road.
MusicAn electronic-tinged score likely underscores the underwater tension.

Content guide

Is Submerged okay for kids?

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • UK15
  • Germany16
  • France16
  • South Korea18

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Submerged have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Submerged?

Cast

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

Jonathan Bennett
as Matt
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Talulah Riley
as Jessie
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Tim Daly
as Hank
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.
Mario Van Peebles
as Hector
Cody Christian
as Dylan
Rosa Salazar
as Amanda
Denzel Whitaker
as Eddie
Willa Ford
as Carla
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Samuel Hunt
as Brandon
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Giles Matthey
as Todd
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 Submerged?

The closest match to Submerged is Radioflash (2019); both are survival stories.

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

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Submerged?

3.9K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: survival thriller. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.