A blend of disaster film and shark horror, the first trailer for “No Way Up” promises pure thrills – if you can overlook the logical gaps.
Fueled by mega-trash film series like “Mega Shark” and especially “Sharknado,” there was a time when one absurd shark horror film followed another. The creators of these abominable offspring of the film limbo outdid themselves with bizarre ideas, giving the impression that they simply chose the dumbest film titles possible, only to then weave an excuse for a plot around them. Works like “Sand Sharks,” “Ice Sharks,” “Land Shark,” “Sharkenstein,” “Raiders of the Lost Shark,” “Shark Exorcist,” and “5-Headed Shark Attack” cannot be explained in any other way.
This trend went so far that even well-crafted and narratively excellent shark horror films like “The Shallows – Danger from the Deep,” available on Blu-ray at a bargain price on Amazon, and “The Reef – Swim for Your Life” became somewhat tainted. Simply because they shared the same subgenre on paper, though not necessarily in substance. The expensive “Meg” films with Jason Statham don’t help either. Fewer and fewer people find shark horror films frightening, and there’s no thrill left. This was demonstrated most recently by “The Black Demon,” even though it at least returned to a more serious direction.
The first trailer for the upcoming “No Way Up” now brings hope for fans. It takes a completely different approach, combining shark horror with the disaster film:
Sure, judging by the trailer, the production budget is likely in the low six figures, which diminishes the grand event character. Nevertheless, the cast seems to deliver a credible performance, while Swiss director Claudio Fäh (“Coronada”) skillfully utilizes the confined setting of a passenger plane to create tension. It definitely looks interesting from what is being offered here.
“No Way Up”: Survive a plane crash only to be eaten by sharks The ultimate nightmare: During a flight over the Pacific Ocean, a passenger plane crashes into the sea and sinks immediately. Trapped in an air bubble and temporarily safe, the survivors must find a way out of this watery grave. Yet, the ever-dwindling oxygen is not the only danger because hungry sharks lurk outside. Whether they stay inside or swim out, death is almost certain.
In essence, “No Way Up” combines several horror scenarios: fear of sharks, also known as selachophobia, aviphobia or fear of a plane crash, claustrophobia, and aquaphobia or fear of drowning. Most people can relate to at least one of these fears. In this sense, the horror film is actually a win-win situation for those responsible when it comes to pure thrills.
In addition to Colm Meaney (“Drive”) and Sophie McIntosh (“Brave New World”), Phyllis Logan, Grace Nettle, Jeremias Armoore, and Manuel Pacific also star in director Fäh’s horror film. The screenplay was written by Andy Mayson (“Guns Akimbo,” “The Girl with All the Gifts”). When and whether “No Way Up” will be released in cinemas in this country is still uncertain. However, it is expected to be released in early 2024 in other countries such as Turkey.
