Below Review: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Below is a tense, well-acted horror series that balances old-school monster thrills with real emotional weight. Josh Hartnett is excellent, the Newfoundland setting feels cold and dangerous, and the scares are genuinely effective.
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Platform: Netflix
Genre: Horror Thriller
Episodes: 6
Cast: Josh Hartnett, Charlie Heaton, Mackenzie Davis
Some horror stories scare you for a few minutes and then fade away. Others stay with you, especially if they take place in the one setting that already makes many people nervous: the deep, dark ocean. Netflix’s new limited series Below falls firmly into the second category. If you are someone who doesn’t like swimming where you can’t see the bottom, this show might make you want to stay on dry land for a while.
The story takes us to a remote, weathered outpost in rural Newfoundland. Something dangerous has woken up in the coastal waters, and it starts attacking the shoreline, throwing the entire town into chaos.
At the center of it all is Calvin Penney, played by Josh Hartnett, a local fisherman still carrying the pain of losing his father years ago. As the threat grows, Calvin has one goal: protect his family and save the town he calls home.
He gets help from an outsider, a visiting marine biologist named Fonda Howander, played by Mackenzie Davis. Together, they start digging into the island’s past and uncover dark secrets that might explain what is hunting them.
If you want to know more about the release details and what to expect before pressing play, our piece on Below on Netflix and Josh Hartnett’s fight against a terrifying threat covers it all.
Let’s talk about Hartnett first, because he really carries this series. His performance as Calvin is gritty and full of emotion, and it adds to the growing feeling that his career is in a great place right now. He makes you believe in Calvin’s grief and his fear, which is exactly what a horror story like this needs.
The supporting cast is just as strong. Charlie Heaton plays Calvin’s son Wade, and the rest of the family, played by Willow Kean, Ruby Stokes, Rohan Campbell, and Kaleb Horn, feel like a real group of people under serious pressure. Their bond makes the danger feel personal, so every attack carries more weight.
What Below does best is mix different types of horror without losing its balance. Some scenes remind you of classic creature films like Jaws, while others feel completely fresh and original.
The show builds suspense slowly and keeps you wondering what exactly is lurking under the surface. Just when you think you understand what is happening, it throws in another question.
The setting helps a lot too. Newfoundland looks beautiful but lonely, and the endless ocean somehow feels suffocating instead of open. That sense of being trapped, even in such a huge space, makes everything feel more uneasy.
Then there are the scares. In the first couple of episodes, the series shows an eerie woman-like figure that is honestly the stuff of nightmares. Many viewers will find themselves covering their eyes whenever she appears on screen, and some of those images will follow you long after the episode ends.
Below works because it isn’t just about the monster. It cares about its characters, and that makes the fear feel real. The mix of family drama, mystery, and creeping dread is handled well, and at six episodes, it never drags.
If you want more from the world of streaming and thrillers, you can also read our review of Ishqa Ishqa, a romantic thriller that asks an uncomfortable question about when love turns into control.
Just a warning before you start: you might want to skip your next beach trip.