Let's get straight to it; Submerged is a bit of a mess. A storyline that bounces all over the place, visual effects that are less than stellar, and questionable acting from the leads.
But there are some good things about this independent feature too. The locations are beautiful, visually stunning. The supporting cast give it their all. And the ability to differentiate a flashback to modern times was easy enough that anyone who was only half watching could still follow the basic plot.
Let's look at the negatives first, starting with the story. The screenplay could have benefited from another going over, preferably by someone with fresh eyes. There are certain scenes that make no sense to the plot and feel like fodder to make the runtime longer. The ending, echoing a lot of other reviews on here, was very lackluster and unsatisfactory. It really did seem like sequel baiting, but no sequel has been made. For it to be a stand alone film, an additional 5-10 minutes needed to be added to explain what exactly was going and to give the audience closure.
The visual effects are basic, but seeing as this is an independent feature, I won't be too hard on it. Just be warned, it hasn't aged well.
The acting from our leading sisters as well as one of the main antagonists was less than desirable. I'm sure all were doing their best with what they were given, but at times the choices made for certain scenes left me perplexed. It may have been a purposefully chosen style, but it is very hit and miss.
Thankfully, some of the supporting cast were able to boost the film. The flashback scenes in which we see a younger version of the main antagonist, Danny Miller, were especially haunting. While no dialogue was uttered, the physicality of the character, and the intense fierceness coming through his eyes were enough to warrant a second look to ensure the locks of my house were indeed locked.
Jake was another character that left a lasting impact. As the story progressed, it was evident we weren't supposed to like him, but he was able to worm his way into our hearts. Possibly done for a "shock" factor reveal, but it was more of a "why" reveal. Again, that comes down to the convoluted plot.
Other characters that were solid were the two victims in the flashback sequences, Danny's mother (another flashback), and Kat's employer.
One thing that still urks me about this film is how during the flashbacks, Danny Miller never speaks. He is a silent killer. But when we cut back to modern times, he's quite the chatterbox. Some consistency with the character would have been nice. It also bugged me that the older version of Danny seemed more of a follower than a plausible threat. The younger version was terrifying by comparison to his older version. In saying that, age may have been a factor. But from where I sat, it felt like I was watching two different characters, not two actors being the same character. Again, consistency was required.
Overall, Submerged had the ability to be something intriguing. The storyline isn't bad - two sisters move to a quiet town where one of them begins having visions of the town's haunting past. It's just poorly executed. But for an independent feature, some of the negatives can be overlooked and put down to inexperience.
Not a great film, but there are some good moments though overall it is quite forgettable.
