Abyssal Rivals
- Tagline
- Below the waves of war, an unseen battle rages.
- Description
- In the darkest depths of World War II, a diver known as 'Depth Charge' Dorothy Dish challenges the unknown in a race against time and tide. Alongside her is Orson Wheels-of-Cheese, a cunning pilot turned submarine captain, and the enigmatic Clam Gable, a merman torn between two worlds. As they navigate treacherous underwater battlegrounds, they encounter mythical creatures wielding ancient magic, revealing an underwater realm as conflicted as the one above. Directed by the visionary Ingmar Birdman, 'Abyssal Rivals' dives deep into a cynical tale of camaraderie and competition, where allegiances shift like sand and survival is as uncertain as the murky waters that conceal hidden foes.
- MpaaRating
- R
- PopularityScore
- 2.50
- ReleaseDate
- 10/20/2022
- Genre
- War
- Director(s)
- Cast
Critic Reviews
4.50
Ingmar Birdman's 'Abyssal Rivals' is a film that drowns in its own ambition. While the tagline promises a struggle unfathomed, what we get is an abyss as murky as the screenplay. 'Depth Charge' Dorothy Dish's exploits sink rather than swim, trapped beneath the weight of stilted dialogue and a plot as dense as the ocean floor. Orson Wheels-of-Cheese's transition from pilot to submarine captain is about as convincing as a sardine piloting a 747, and Clam Gable's brooding merman act is a desperate gasp for air in the screenplay's vacuous depths. The film's R rating does allow for some darker twists and turns but ultimately feels as necessary as a lifejacket on a submarine. While Birdman's direction hints at depths unexplored, the narrative flounders in shallows of cliché and implausibility. One cannot help but feel that the mythical creatures and ancient magics are but glitter sprinkled over an oil slick of narrative failures. 'Abyssal Rivals' becomes a masterclass in how not to mix war drama with fantasy, as both genres are left gasping for breath. The film's only redemption is in its stunning visuals, which manage to evoke a semblance of the wonder and terror that the vast ocean embodies. It's a pity that the script didn't have a life vest as strong as the cinematography.