Rent Submergence (2017)

Submergence review by Mark McPherson - Cinema Paradiso

Submergence is a film that feels both adrift and cliche at the same time, meshing together to mildly interesting stories into an emotional journey that never quite hits the right notes. When the two leads are not focused on their missions of either scientific discovery or seeking humanity, they merely mingle and linger in long and dreary scenes of soft romance. It’s as though the film is too terrified to ever approach subjects of underwater science, religious jihadists or tender romance that it never once embraces any of its story elements fully.

Danielle Flinders (Alicia Vikander) is a scientist preparing to dive to the deepest depths of Greenland Sea. James More (James McAvoy) is being held captive in Africa by jihadists and struggling to keep himself alive while all hope is lost. What do these two have to do with each other? Well, last Christmas, they met for the first time at a beach in France. They had quiet afternoons indoors of a lavish estate while they shared gentle conversations. They strolled along the beach and shared tender kisses. You can pretty much guess what transpired at night.

There’s a somewhat refreshing tone to how the film embraces a meandering and nonlinear nature but to what end. It would seem like this structure was intended to give the characters room to breathe and provide a contemplative juxtaposition to how we comprehend life’s duality of danger and love. But so little of that supposed message comes across when the film spends so much time dragging its feet to find anything of note in this adventure. On their separate endeavors, Danielle and James are questioned about their humanity. Danielle is asked by her co-worker if she’s okay to dive and if there’s something more to her mission. James is asked about his connection with God and about coming to terms with how little control he might have. Both of them, however, feel helpless in these situations. Danielle refuses to better acknowledge her internal issues while James begs to be spared which the jihadists admit coldly it’s not in mortal hands to decide his fate.

It’s surprising how there’s a lot going on and so little of hits hard. The romance between the two is so dreary where even their more confrontational moments are met with too much tiredness of going gentle. These two are far too timid to have any meaningful romantic relationship where we're expected to care if it works out for them. At least their bigger goals carry with them a certain drama where we may care a little if they come out alive. Of course, there’d be more to care about if there were more to these characters past a banal sense of human connection.

Submergence never really floats above its depths of dreary drama and boring romance. Maybe there’s more past its aloof nature but it requires such a level of examination for not a whole lot that’s on screen. What the film more or less seems to be saying is that life is tough, filled with many unpredictable and chaotic events. I just wish it were tougher so the film doesn’t feel like it’s to timid to tackle bigger subjects and keep its characters at a distance. Characters like this shouldn’t have to drown in melodrama, especially when it involves scientific discoveries and encounters with jihadists.