Below is Netflix's latest hope to replace Stranger Things, but it also looks like a terrific homage to one of the best movies ever made. Taking place in Newfoundland, Josh Hartnett stars in Below as a fisher who tries to protect his community and his family when a sea monster begins lurking in their waters.
The first trailer for the series was recently released and helped to increase the anticipation before the series debuts on October 8. With this being the latest big supernatural Netflix series to come out in the wake of Stranger Things ending, there are a lot of hopes placed on Below. However, it already looks to be drawing some very wise inspiration that could make the series something special.
Below is looking a lot like Jaws in the best ways possible
There are a lot of aspects of Below that make it an appealing upcoming series. The Newfoundland setting is unique and interesting. Hartnett continues his crowd-pleasing comeback as the exciting lead, and he will be joined by the likes of Mackenzie Davis and Charlie Heaton. It's a also tapping into a popular genre.
It's impossible for a movie about a deadly creature lurking in the water not to draw comparisons to Jaws, and Below is no different. Steven Spielberg's Jaws is widely considered one of the greatest movies ever made and is credited as being the first summer blockbuster, changing Hollywood forever. It made generations of moviegoers second-guess what might be below the surface of the water with its terrifying depiction of a Great White shark that terrorizes a beach community.
Since its release, there have been many attempts to replicate the success of the water-based horror story, but none have come close. It is certainly a daunting legacy for Below to try to meet, but while it might never match Jaws, it looks to be taking several pages from its book to try and replicate some of its success.
Jaws was more than a monster story
One of the things most often discussed about Jaws is how it maintains the tension and threat of the shark despite having very little screen time. It did so by keeping the audience invested in the story beyond the shark but always reminding us of the danger that was out there.
Below has the latter part perfectly covered with its setting. A small Newfoundland community is ideal for this type of story, with water an inescapable part of where they live. These people live and work on the water, and any danger out there would have a big impact.
This mirrors the struggles of Amity Island in Jaws. The beach community needs the summer tourist season to survive, and some in the community are not too eager to jeopardize that by admitting that there is a shark in the water. The trailer for Below hints at a similar reluctance among the community to let tales of a sea creature ruin their livelihood.
This conflict also gives insights into some of the key characters in Below's story, some of whom resemble counterparts in Jaws. Hartnett's protagonist is seen desperately trying to keep people out of the water, very similar to Jaws' Chief Brody (Roy Scheider). He is the dedicated hero who senses the danger before anyone else is ready to accept it.
Another key character in Jaws is Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss), the scientist who echoes Brody's concerns and tries to convince the people of the danger at hand. Below looks to have that character covered as well with Mackenzie Davis' role.
While some may dismiss these aspects as simply rehashing the archetypes and tropes that Jaws perfected, it also suggests Below understands what many Jaws imitators did not. The shark attacks are scary and intense, but Steven Spielberg elevated the movie beyond a B-level monster movie by creating an atmosphere, characters, and a world that made us invested in the story. That makes us care all the more about what might be hiding in the water.
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