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- 2018
- Not Rated
- Samuel Goldwyn Films
- 1 h 52 m
- 2018
- Not Rated
- Samuel Goldwyn Films
- 1 h 52 m
Summary James (James McAvoy) is a British agent under the cover of a water engineer, while Danny (Alicia Vikander) is a bio-mathematician working on a deep-sea diving project to explore the origin of life on our planet. On a chance encounter in a remote resort in Normandy where they both prepare for their respective missions, they fall rapidly, ...
Directed By: Wim Wenders
Written By: Erin Dignam, J.M. Ledgard
- 2018
- Not Rated
- Samuel Goldwyn Films
- 1 h 52 m
- 2018
- Not Rated
- Samuel Goldwyn Films
- 1 h 52 m
Submergence
38
4.2
Where to Watch
Summary James (James McAvoy) is a British agent under the cover of a water engineer, while Danny (Alicia Vikander) is a bio-mathematician working on a deep-sea diving project to explore the origin of life on our planet. On a chance encounter in a remote resort in Normandy where they both prepare for their respective missions, they fall rapidly, ...
Directed By: Wim Wenders
Written By: Erin Dignam, J.M. Ledgard
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Unfavorable
Based on 16 Critic Reviews
38
6% Positive
1 Review
1 Review
56% Mixed
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
38% Negative
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Unfavorable
Based on 16 Critic Reviews
38
6% Positive
1 Review
1 Review
56% Mixed
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
38% Negative
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
James McAvoy and Alicia Vikander make a photogenic pair in this sometimes sweepingly romantic film, the most roundly satisfying fiction feature Wenders has made since, well, that first one about the angel so in love he gives up immortality.
The audience is left, then, submerged in two very different movies where the protagonists are going to sink or swim – but unsatisfyingly – not together.
User Score
Mixed or Average
Based on 22 User Ratings
4.2
18% Positive
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
45% Mixed
10 Ratings
10 Ratings
36% Negative
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
User Score
Mixed or Average
Based on 22 User Ratings
4.2
18% Positive
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
45% Mixed
10 Ratings
10 Ratings
36% Negative
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
This movie was in contrast with itself. It was really good in certain aspects but bad in others. It felt like it really had an emotional value but no entertainment or fun value. In truth it was trying to hard to be a deeply artistic emotional movie, and in some way it managed to turn up as a success and failure in the same time. The directing style was really amazing, and the all the scenes where shot with care and attention to detail and this actually comes over to the viewers if we watch carefully and appreciate it. The characters where developed very well although with some pacing issues, and it took to much to build up their relation with each other which in the end left the real plot in the background and the events as they unfolded. The acting was amazing by both lead actors and the supporting ones. Hats off to Alicia and James for delivering their character's emotions in their raw, realistic form. And the simplicity of their relation and romantic scenes had a powerful real down to earth vibe which was almost humane. This is very rare in romantic movies, and physical connection is hard to not fake. SO all credit is due for the actors here. The visuals where great with amazing sights, practical effects for most part and simple but meaningful music in the background. The only big fault of the movie is the plot and how it unfolded and above all the slow pacing issue it struggled with. Besides their connections and some superficial things about the events not much else is reveled above the world and the story's unfolding. Sadly this breaks the before created immersion by the characters and really good acting.
Overall it's a good movie with amazing artistic value, but low entertainment value. This makes the movie a hard watch especially for those who like a more eventful movie and can't value the realistic emotions and complex message delivered by the film.
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While I thoroughly enjoyed Wim Wenders’ “Paris Texas” I was also disappointed to find it was written on the fly. Maybe the same might be said for this strange and at times strained production. At one stage, it looked as if the moviemakers may have been wanting to create the equivalent of a modern remake of classics like “Peter Ibbotson” or “Wuthering Heights”- about deep bonding - a love of such depth that even during cruel and certain severance, the lovers could connect with each other in a fantasy or spiritual world. Maybe these lovers didn’t have enough time together to convince us they were now inseparable. There are times and situations where love can develop quicker than normal but, it also needs more time to be convincing as eternally enduring. There also seemed to be too much mystery surrounding James McAvoy’s character to help us fully understand the extreme treatment at the hands of his Jihadist captors – still, it was refreshing to note his dedication to his faith, and his home country - quite a rarity in modern Hollywood type movies. There’s lots of visual style, very good performances, an interesting music score, and it is more accessible than some of Wenders’ other works but overall, something seems to be missing. Have certainly seen far worse, but maybe needed stronger plot development.
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Submergence is a soapy, melodramatic romance in quiet greys and limp emotions.
Submergence – despite much lovesick gravitas from its two leads – never quite coalesces into the epic romance that it should. It fizzles when it should ignite, leaving the viewer with a palpable yearning for something other than a shrug.
While Vikander and McAvoy are two undeniably photogenic actors who also radiate considerable intelligence, their best efforts are lost in the claustrophobic environment.
Submergence's globetrotting only succeeds at exposing the hollowness of the characters at the film's center.
Dabbling in topical themes like climate change and terrorism, all while attempting to execute a Bond-esque, star-crossed lovers narrative. Submergence’s commentary ultimately conveys a whole lot of nothing.
Four kinds of love are represented in this movie: the love of a man for a woman, the love for God (the jihad-thing), the love for the planet (symbolized by Danny's job) and the love for truth (James's spy job). Unfortunately, one more kind of love, probably the most important for a movie, is missing here: the love for filmmaking. Despite the title and the indisputable good performance from James McAvoy (not really sure about Alicia Vikander), the movie often lingers on a superficial dimension, never dragging the audience into the depth of the characters' feelings. The ending result is an annoying emotional detachment.
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(Mauro Lanari)
Love story between the two protagonists who meet asking themselves nice questions about the meaning of life and its relationship with depth and darkness in a film devoid of both, lost among bizarre and divided activities in alternating editing and eyeline matches. The quote of "L'Atalante" is useless.
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Badly acted and directed piece that basically says nothing about everything.
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**** **** wtf is this, i wasted 1,5 hours of my life on this. i would rather watch paint dry. **** off
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Production Company
Splashprod,
Backup Media,
Green Hummingbird Entertainment,
Lila 9th Productions,
Morena Films,
Neue Road Movies,
PalmStar Media,
Polyphony Digital,
Umedia,
Waterstone Entertainment
Release Date Apr 13, 2018
Duration 1 h 52 m
Rating Not Rated
Tagline Love Has No Limits
Awards
San Sebastián International Film Festival
• 1 Nomination
Golden Trailer Awards
• 1 Nomination
