SUBMERGENCE (2018)

Genre: Drama/Romance
Director: Wim Wenders
Cast: James McAvoy, Alicia Vikander, Alexander Siddig, Celyn Jones, Reda Kateb, Mohamed Hakeemshady
Runtime: 1 hr 51 mins
Rating: NC-16 (Scene of Intimacy)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 29 March 2018

Synopsis: SUBMERGENCE is a love story that takes us into the extremely different worlds of our two protagonists, Danielle Flinders (Academy Award winner Alicia Vikander) and James More (James McAvoy). They meet by chance in a remote hotel in Normandy where they both prepare for a dangerous mission. They fall in love almost against their will, but soon recognize in each other the love of their lives. When they have to separate, we find out that James works for the British Secret Service, while Danielle ‘Danny’ Flinders is a bio-mathematician working on a deep sea diving project. Soon, they are worlds apart. James is taken hostage by Jihadist fighters and has no way of contacting Danny, and she has to go down to the bottom of the ocean in her submersible, not even knowing if James is still alive…

Movie Review:

With a fancy name like Submergence, a dreamlike trailer and Academy Award-worthy leads (James McAvoy and Alicia Vikander), one would be intrigued to catch the film based on the novel of the same title by J.M. Ledgard.

Boy, will you be in for a surprise.

The film started off with much hope and slight excitement, introducing the characters James (played by James McAvoy) and ‘Danny’ (played by Alicia Vikander) in interesting fashion, showcasing them on their dangerous missions.

In a sad twist, one might end up getting bored and restless about 30 minutes into the film, as the multiple switching of scenes between their individual missions and their time together not only confuses the audience more, but also creates a sense of uncertainty.  It feels that the ‘relationship’ that they had is disjointed and non-existent.

Somehow, it really felt like I was being put through 2 vastly different films that are strangely and loosely connected by a love interest that barely had any sparks to begin with.

And while the concept of loss, loneliness and connectivity is intended, it was not executed in any way that could ignite any sort of interest to the audience.  The depth in the conversations between the 2 leads made the gap between the audience and the nature of the film wider than it should be.

The film’s only saving grace is the cinematography, bringing the audience on an impressive ride through green pastures, vast oceans and sandy plains of Europe and Africa. Sadly, even the beauty and wonders of Mother Nature, together with the great talents of James McAvoy and Alicia Vikander (whom were brilliantly natural in their execution of their characters) could not save the film.

Overall, the ideologies and beauty of Submergence is short-changed by the lack of a proper direction and unfortunate multiple misses in scriptwriting and storytelling.  

Movie Rating:

(Not worth the time. Just. Don’t.)

Review by Ron Tan