What Lies Beneath: Chills And Thrills

by Marjorie Dorfman | More from this Blogger

Produced in 2000 and starring Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer, this supernatural thriller was directed by Robert Zemeckis while he was awaiting Tom Hanks to lose some weight for his film, "Cast Away." Based on a story written by Sarah Kernochan and Clark Greg, the plot revolves around a seemingly happy married couple who are at the center of a terrible secret. The action is slow to start, and several of the story's threads are not fully developed. Still, this is a movie with more than its share of chills, and for lovers of the genre, very well worth seeing.

One of the classic moments in the film is when Michelle Pfeiffer who plays Claire Spencer asks her research scientist husband, Norman (Harrison Ford), if he has had anything to do with the disappearance of a young girl. The audience already suspects that he is being dishonest and holding something back, and when he replies, "Yes I did," his honest response throws the audience completely off the track.

The tension builds from a lot of little things; a neighbor suspected of murdering his wife, a missing shoe on a windowsill. The acting is flawless and Michelle Pfeiffer and Harrison Ford were both Zemekis's first choice for the roles they played. The ending is very tense and exciting, but is disappointing in that not all of the elements in the film are explained or even implied. There is also a bit of a problem with continuity, as one scene underwater reveals a necklace that despite the passage of a number of months and waves and currents remains perfectly still on a rock at the water's bottom. This is in addition to Michelle Pfeiffer being able to find the necklace in the dark and stay underwater for longer than any human being could without bursting their lungs.

Still in all, the film will keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat.

Go rent "What Lies Beneath."

Have YOU seen this movie? What are some of YOUR favorite moments?

Learn more about Marjorie Dorfman

Marjorie Dorfman is a freelance writer and former teacher originally from Brooklyn, New York.

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