ABOVE AND BELOW (2026)

Genre: Action/Thriller
Director: Jesse V. Johnson
Cast: Laura Marano, Antonio Banderas, Christina Ochoa, Diego Llinás, Timothy V. Murphy
Runtime: 1 hr 36 mins
Rating: NC16 (Some Violence and Coarse Language)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 20 August 2026

Synopsis: A routine shark diving excursion off the coast of Mexico spirals into a harrowing fight for survival when a group of divers becomes trapped between ruthless criminals above and circling predators in the depths below.

Movie Review:

Above and Below is yet another 2026 addition to the shark genre, following Netflix’s Thrash and Prime Video’s The Devil’s Mouth. The only difference between the three is that Above and Below has a rather big name, Antonio Banderas, onboard the cast list.

A group of friends, including Tatiana (Laura Marano), her brother Kyle (Diego Llinas), her best friend Kayle (Christina Ochoa) and their partners, are invited aboard a yacht for a shark-diving trip by a mysterious man named Burns (Banderas). Unfortunately, Burns is involved in some drug cartel business, and Tatiana and her friends soon find themselves surrounded not only by great white sharks but also by ruthless drug traffickers.

Because two threats are better than one, right?

But here comes the issue. Above and Below neither presents itself as a formidable shark thriller nor as a satisfying crime flick. The direction by veteran action director Jesse V. Johnson and screenplay by Tony Giordano result in a weak combination of unengaging plotting, poor acting and bland dialogue.

Even if it is touted as a shark-attack movie, the setup of our CGI villains is mostly negligible. The suspense and action are weakly staged, and instead, Tatiana and Kayle are often seen crawling in and out of the shark cage as if it were a children’s playground, casually discussing what to do next — whether to get more oxygen tanks or retrieve the bag of cocaine lying somewhere on the ocean bed.

And while the ladies are trapped underwater, the men on the yacht are feeling increasingly uneasy and restless, especially Burns. This is also the part where we remember that Antonio Banderas was once a great actor and showman. He puts on a somewhat theatrical performance, becoming the only remotely believable character in the entire movie. Funny enough, the production couldn’t even afford the time to shoot Banderas from the back, so an obvious stand-in has to take his place.

Ultimately, Above and Below is a low-budget movie that tries to elevate its generic material at every turn. To the production’s credit, the CGI sharks are convincing enough, but they hardly make for any genuine threats or thrills throughout. The entire movie experience feels lethargic and predictable, with neither the sharks nor the drug traffickers providing much of a bite.

Just another day, just another shark-attack movie.

Movie Rating:

(Nothing above that qualifies for adrenaline, nor is there anything below that screams exciting)

Review by Linus Tee