Scary Movies: What Lies Beneath

Thanks for this review go to our new guest reviewer, the lovely and perceptive Corinne Dion! Corinne has interests in horror and opera, among other things, and will be providing occasional reviews on this site!

The supernatural thriller, What Lies Beneath, has stood the test of time in terms of plot, character development, script, and cinematography. The twenty years that have passed since this films release have not diminished the movies appeal.

There are many scenes in the film, for example, in which a cell phone is used to call emergency numbers. Cell phones from 2000 do not compare to the cell phones of today, but despite the obsolete cell phone technology used in the film (by today’s standards), the movie has definitely fared well. Superficial externals do not matter for this movie’s success. This is because the movie, like many successful films of this genre, really operates on two different planes of existence: the reality in front of you, and the reality hidden from you (or in this case the reality beneath you).

What matters is the film’s spiritual nature, delivered with a stylish horror thrill. The movie centers on a well-to-do married couple, Claire Spencer (played by Michele Pfeiffer), and her hasband, Dr. Norman Spencer (played by Harrison Ford). Claire and Norman have recently become empty nesters, as their daughter is going away to college as the movie opens.

Strange things start occurring after their daughter’s departure, especially while Claire is alone at home. It gets to the point where Claire starts believing her home is haunted and that her neighbor is trying to murder his wife. What’s not clear is whether these strange events are actually occurring or only in Claire’s mind. Norman, a successful professor, plays the supportive husband who is trying to save her from herself, but may play more of a role in Claire’s perceptions than he at first has reason to believe.

It soon becomes apparent that nobody can save Claire from what really lies beneath, for what she’s always believed to be the reality of her marriage and her life are not what they seem. In fact, the audience will learn the backstory that is causing Claire to be haunted–and it is ironically an issue that lies beneath her subconscious.

What LIes Beneath (2000)
Story/Plot/Characters–Empty nesters find that their seemingly perfect life is in danger via their haunted home. They soon find that discovering the source of the haunting may destroy their lives. (3 points)
Special Effects–Even by today’s standards the effects are excellent and believable. (1.5 points)
Scariness— Definitely some frightening scenes, but there is no gratuitous violence or gore. The movie’s strengh is its ability to scare you through suspense and psychology with most of the violence being comparable to modern action flicks. (1.5 points)
Atmosphere/Freakiness— The atmosphere is excellent and well done. The movie is not particularly freaky, which makes sense as it is not exactly a horror film, but a thriller with supernatural horrific elements. (2 points)
Total=8 points (Best Horror Movies Ever)

Verdict; A stylish, classic supernatural thriller that holds up well against more recent movies in the genre.