You know that feeling when you scroll past a movie on streaming, see a cast list that includes Antonio Banderas, and think, “Wait, that guy is in this?” That’s exactly the energy of Above & Below, the new 96-minute slice of sun-soaked mayhem that hit theaters on July 29. It’s not trying to be the next Citizen Kane. It’s trying to be the next wild Friday night watch, and honestly? It mostly succeeds.
The setup is pure vacation-poster bait. A group of friends, led by the always-effervescent Laura Marano as Tatiana, jet off for what’s supposed to be an unforgettable getaway. There’s diving, dancing, and a whole lot of questionable decisions. But as any horror fan knows, the fun never lasts. What starts as a tropical Insta-story montage takes a hard left into bleak territory when a crew of criminals - headlined by Banderas as the wonderfully named Burns - decides to crash the party. In open water. With nowhere to run.
Director Jesse V. Johnson knows his way around a B-movie brawl. The man has built a career on gritty, efficient action flicks, and Above & Below fits snugly into his wheelhouse. The first act leans hard into the “paradise lost” motif, establishing the group’s chemistry with breezy banter before the tides turn. Marano, best known for her Disney Channel days on Austin & Ally, clearly relishes the chance to play a character who has to dig deep past her comfort zone. She’s no longer the girl next door; she’s the girl who’s about to grab a harpoon and fight for her life. Opposite her, Christina Ochoa brings a wiry, survivalist energy that grounds the chaos. The pairing works because they feel like actual friends, not just cardboard cutouts waiting to be picked off.
Then there’s Banderas. The man is having a ball. As Burns, he doesn’t need to do much more than show up, snarl, and let his gravelly voice do the heavy lifting. He’s the kind of villain who loves the sound of his own threats, and Banderas leans into that theatricality with a grin. The role is pure paycheck villainy, but he elevates it. When he’s on screen, the tension spikes. When he’s not, the movie loses a little steam, but that’s a minor complaint in a film that clocks in at a tight, no-filler 96 minutes.
Genre-wise, Above & Below wears multiple hats - action, thriller, horror, crime - and that identity crisis is both its strength and its weakness. The horror elements are more “survival dread” than supernatural scares, which keeps things grounded but might disappoint gorehounds. The crime aspect is simple: bad men want something, good people are in the way. The action, though, is where Johnson shines. The water-based set pieces are shot with a claustrophobic intimacy. You feel the salt spray and the panic of being trapped on a boat with no escape route. There’s a sequence involving a submerged hull that will make you think twice about booking that snorkeling trip.
Critics haven’t been kind - the IMDb score sits at a shaky 5.2/10, while the TMDb rating is a slightly more forgiving 6.2. The reviews are fair. The script leans on genre clichés, and some of the supporting cast members are interchangeable. If you’re looking for deep character arcs, you’ll find yourself staring at an empty ocean. But if you judge the film on the curve of “solid, middle-tier action-thriller with a star-studded bonus,” it delivers exactly what it promises.
The real appeal here is the cast chemistry and the sheer competency of the execution. It’s the rare modern thriller that doesn’t overstay its welcome. The pacing is brisk, the stakes are clear, and the finale is a satisfying payoff of adrenaline and grit. It’s the kind of movie you’d flip to on cable at 1 a.m. and think, “Okay, I’ll watch for ten minutes,” only to realize an hour and a half flew by.
In a summer crowded with bloated blockbusters and endless sequels, Above & Below is a lean, mean alternative. It’s not going to win any awards, but it will win your attention for an evening. Just don’t watch it before your next beach vacation. You’ve been warned.
