Intense underwater action film has submarine Charlton Heston and his large crew stuck at the bottom of the ocean after a sudden impact causes them to become lodged among the rocky terrain. Injuries, panic, confusion and finally desperation as time grows short between the consistent shaking and threats of massive flooding.
This is probably one of the most surprisingly original disaster films of the '70s, dealing with the situation that you really can see happening and not overloaded with unnecessary soap opera and bad special effects that cause unintentional laughs. Heston is quite good, his best role since "Planet of the Apes", and with notable co-stars like David Carradine, Stacy Keach, Ned Beatty and a young Christopher Reeve right before "Superman".
While the script is quite technical, the film is not overloaded with confusing elements that would perplex the audience, and it's obvious that the disaster could either end tragically or victoriously with all or at least most of the people trapped being rescued. Rather than depending on special effects, the script depends on nail biting tension, and that makes this better than many of the more well known disaster films that dominated the 70's.
This is probably one of the most surprisingly original disaster films of the '70s, dealing with the situation that you really can see happening and not overloaded with unnecessary soap opera and bad special effects that cause unintentional laughs. Heston is quite good, his best role since "Planet of the Apes", and with notable co-stars like David Carradine, Stacy Keach, Ned Beatty and a young Christopher Reeve right before "Superman".
While the script is quite technical, the film is not overloaded with confusing elements that would perplex the audience, and it's obvious that the disaster could either end tragically or victoriously with all or at least most of the people trapped being rescued. Rather than depending on special effects, the script depends on nail biting tension, and that makes this better than many of the more well known disaster films that dominated the 70's.