Executive producer Stanley M. Brooks proves that an action-thriller can be gripping, convincing and insightful without bombarding the viewer with exploitation or vulgarity. Brooks’ company, Once Upon A Time Films, is determined to make quality entertainment films. He understands the bottom line for any action film must be a compelling story, not just explosions and special effects.
Perhaps not as complex in plot as “Hunt for Red October” or as meticulous in character development as “Das Boot,” “Submerged” nevertheless rivets the viewer to the small screen with its taut direction and intense ensemble. With the help of the small screen’s intimacy, director James Keach (winner of the Humanitas Prize for “A Winner Never Quits”), places us in the cramped quarters of the downed sub and makes us feel the emotions, fears and resolves of men facing death’s certainty. And the film’s star, Sam Neill (“Reilly, Ace of Spies,” “One Against the Wind”), gives another solid performance. Now, this is Must See TV.