HOLD YOUR BREATH.

One year after the suicide of his father (Josh Brolin), Jay Gardiner (Austin Abrams) goes scuba diving and gets caught up in a chase between an octopus and a sperm whale – who accidentally swallows them both.

An absolutely irresistible idea for a movie that uses convincing visual effects and slippery organic sets to make us believe in Jay’s terrifying, claustrophobic situation. Flashbacks help us understand the complicated relationship between him and his flawed father; as we reach the film’s climax, Jay’s daddy issues take on a more profound meaning.

Pacing isn’t perfect, but it’s a gripping drama about (more than one kind of) survival.

2026-U.S. 106 min. Color. Directed by Brian Duffield. Screenplay: Brian Duffield, Daniel Kraus. Novel: Daniel Kraus. Cast: Austin Abrams (Jay Gardiner), Josh Brolin (Mitt Gardiner), Elisabeth Shue (Zara Gardiner), John Ortiz, Jane Levy, Emily Rudd. 

Last word: “The nature of how we shot, I think a lot of the terror [Abrams] has was probably genuine. Almost all the stunts in the movie are done by Austin. It’s always nerve-wracking when your actor is scuba diving and doing stunts. There was never a moment where he was remotely phoned-in. He could not have given more to this movie. It’s kind of a weird two-hander with the audience and Austin, as you’re all trying to figure out how to get home.” (Duffield, Empire Magazine)