Underwater ending and sequence setup explained

Underwater It ended up being a return to form for the claustrophobic horror films of the '70s and '80s, with the creature film being released with great prominence and heavy implications for the future. William Eubanks creates a very isolated horror film that at many points seems Foreigner, but in the best way possible. Kristen Stewart heads a cast of strong actors who find themselves trapped in their underwater research laboratory after an earthquake rocks their oil drilling expedition. Their mission to survive becomes more dangerous when they realize they are not alone and that their oil exploration has caught the attention of a ferocious creature.

Complications in their laboratory and equipment lead the crew to traverse the ocean floor. They are picked off one by one by these mysterious creatures. Things get worse when they come across an entire nest of these deadly humanoid sea creatures that seem to obey an even more menacing beast. In the end, it's just Price (Kristen Stewart), Haversham (Jessica Henwick) and Smith (John Gallagher Jr.) who are left alive to reach the apparent safety of Roebuck Station. It is at Roebuck Station that Price realizes that only two of the escape pods are working. Price convinces Smith and Haversham to take the capsules and escape, while she is forced to make another very difficult decision.

What happens to the monster?

At least one monster may have survived

At the end of UnderwaterPrice understands the gravity of his situation and that it is imperative that at least someone survive this expedition and reach the surface. Price decides to sacrifice himself to eliminate the greater threat at hand.

Price can see that Smith and Haversham's escape pods are hurrying along, but the nest of many humanoid creatures are on their trail and about to overtake them. Furthermore, the gigantic monster begins attacking Roebuck Station in retaliation. Price admits defeat and decides to eliminate as much of this threat with her as possible. Price overloads the station's engines and increases its power levels to maximum so that the Roebuck explodes.

Price's plan is a success and the explosion destroys the nest of creatures and gives the escape pods the advantage they need to escape. It certainly looks like this explosion takes Price with it, but the larger monster's fate isn't exactly clear. He can be seen being swept away by the Roebuck's explosion and appears to be dead. However, evidence suggests it may not be the only one of its kind out there.

The true meaning of the underwater end

The mission has greater implications

Smith and Haversham survive the attack and it appears that Price manages to eliminate the monsters, but The biggest news to come out of the film's end is that the drilling company, Tian Industries, appears to be fully aware of these underwater threats. and you can even try to intentionally awaken them and study them. The film's credits are filled with newspaper clippings that detail the consequences of the film's events and highlight how Tian Industries suppresses Smith and Haversham's interviews and tries to keep quiet about the entire accident.

At the same time, these articles indicate that similar events may be responsible for a previous drilling accident with Tian Industries and that the company is still determined to expand its drilling work throughout the Mariana Trench. All this indicates that the mission in Underwater It's just one piece of a much bigger puzzle this involves a sinister corporation that could even be on the level of a Weyland-Yutani entity.

How Underwater's Ending Sets Up a Sequel

There's a bigger story at play

The news that Tian Industries has ties to something more nefarious and the knowledge of these underwater monsters gives the impression that this is not the last time these creatures are seen at the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Future drilling missions, whether with Smith and Haversham or someone new, could reveal new beasts to fuel a sequel. There's also the possible angle of Smith and Haversham wanting to look for Price, even though it seems pretty clear that she's dead. However, if Underwater proves anything is that there are still many mysteries hidden in the ocean.

How the underwater ending was received

Underwater had mixed reviews overall

While the film's ending may have left audiences with more questions and hopes for a sequel, critics were divided on the film overall. While The Hollywood Reporter compared with Foreignerbut without the chemistry of the original cast, Variety called “stupefied entertainment” and even a “dramatic emptiness,” which did not bode well for the film’s theatrical release.

Some fans were also upset that Kristen Stewart's character, who was heavily used to promote the film, didn't make it through the film. Stewart, however, loved this ending. Stewart fought to ensure that her character didn't make it out of the film's events alive. When speaking with NYLON of the project, she said that Price's willingness to give her life at the end is part of what attracted her to the project, and when the studio wanted to film an alternate ending that involved her survival, she backed away:

…we got notes from the studio saying we needed to film an alternate ending where she finds, at the last second, a pod that works and survives. I thought, “No! That’s the last kind of movie I want to make.” I literally wouldn't have made this fucking movie if that was the case. I loved the ending and I think it says a lot about finding empathy for people and how the greater good prevails. Jessica's character has more to hold on to. It's hard to relate, because we all have a survival instinct, but it's actually for the greater good.

…I bit in and got it right. I would have had a terrible attack. I would have been so upset. Even filming the “alternative ending,” I was making fart noises and thinking, “That’s not cool.” I hated it so much. It was so diluted and scared. Like, can't we tell a real story? Why are we trying to make money? I thought it was bullshit. So yeah, I totally fought for it.

With the film not making back its budget at the box office and critics so divided about the film, another Underwater movie will be made, so fans can get teases of a bigger story and the ending that Kristen Stewart fought so hard for.