Thriller Review of 'Immersed'

 ‘Immersed’ starts with a shot of dark, rippling water and a constant droning sound effect in the background to create a tense mood. A swimmer disturbs the unbearable anxiety already building up in the atmosphere. The woman breaks through the water and becomes the central focus in the shot. She is seen to be doing lengths in the pool and there are various different shots being used to illustrate this activity. Some shots are close ups of the body and others are taken at a low viewpoint but still seem to be looking down on the swimmer as if from someone else’s viewpoint which creates an uneasy atmosphere and viewers get the feeling the woman is being watched.

The humming back track has returned into the background, which recalls the earlier feeling of anxiety whilst there are underwater shots being used which create a feeling of isolation, as the girl is not aware of what is going on above the water. The handheld camera underwater shots contrast to the still shots above water as it seems like you have the same viewpoint as the swimmer, following her in her activity, and experiencing how isolated and oblivious she is to her surroundings which creates a definite tense mood.

The next shot is an aerial shot of a counting stopwatch on the poolside, taking a close up on the stopwatch adds an element of time which suggests that something is about to happen so the atmosphere is suspenseful.

As the swimmer draws in breathe she gasps in the air dramatically, which gives you a shock, as you are already feeling uneasy in the eerie atmosphere created by the invasive shots and the haunting music.

A wide shot is then taken of the whole pool room which emphasises how the swimmer is cut off from the outside world in a small room and only has one exit through one door. The next shot is at a low viewpoint from the poolside and shows the swimmer getting closer to us and the continuous, monstrous splashes of water she is generating which are preventing her from gaining any knowledge of what is happening in the outer world.

The next shot is quite an abrupt close up, which shows the swimmer grab for the stopwatch hastily and check her time, which is the only time she stops from her vigorous activity to take notice of the happenings in her surroundings. The shot then returns to the poolside low viewpoint which show the woman in her continuous routine, however this time there is the effect of slow motion used and this shot increases the intensity dramatically as the thriller starts to build up a climax of suspense. The high angled, aerial shot used gives the effect of a witness looking down.

A medium shot of the door handle is captured and a stranger walks into the poolroom, unnoticed by the swimmer. When returning to the girl there is the added sound effect of slow and despairing breathing which really brings the viewer into the mind of the girl, completely oblivious to the events going on.

The stranger is seen to be coming closer as there is a continuous medium shot of the suspect, not allowing the viewer to see any kind of identity, just the sight of the person’s body, which gives viewers the feeling of suspicion. The stranger’s clothes are dark which immediately depict the person as an evil, unnerving character. The shot of the stranger approaching is in very dim light, which symbolises threat and danger entering the environment. Whereas the following shot taken by an underwater camera incorporates complete natural daylight which contrasts to the last shot and symbolises the innocence of the unknowing girl. These two shots paired together are quite chaotic as the lighting contrasts intensely, they slightly disorientate the audience and panic arises as the second shot is hastily filmed creating an effect of the swimmer struggling.

Next is a tracking shot of the strangers legs, showing minimal body which adds a sense of danger and alarms the audience, making you feel uneasy as you do not know who the character is. Eventually the camera pans round to the swimmer who has finished her length and becomes face to face with the stranger, possessing a look of complete horror and emitting a genuine gasp. The thriller comes to an abrupt end with the climax of the last shot and finishes with the bold writing of ‘IMMERSED’ illustrated with ghostly shadows underneath the font to create an ultimate evocative effect.