15 Best Underwater Sci-Fi Movies You Need To Watch

In this article, we are bringing you the best underwater Sci-Fi movies of all time. We hope that some of them you haven’t watched and that this article will help you to discover them. Most of these movies are also horror movies, but we also have a few surprise genres in our sleeves.

In case you are looking for more Sci-Fi movies, we have a big list of some of the best Sci-Fi movies you have never seen. So go and check it out also. Well, without further ado, let’s dive in (pun intended).

1. ‘Underwater’ (2020)

Deep beneath the ocean’s surface, a team of marine scientists races for survival after an earthquake devastates their subterranean lab.

Yet, the treacherous waters pale compared to a lurking menace awakened by the quake — a relentless, ravenous entity from the abyss.

2. ‘DeepStar Six’ (1989)

Marine biologists are laying the groundwork beneath the ocean’s surface for rocket housing. Scarpelli (Nia Peeples) urges a closer examination of the underwater cliffs and alerts Dr. Gelder (Marius Weyers) about potential risks, suggesting the Navy be notified.

However, unwilling to operate on mere speculation, Dr. Gelder proceeds to breach the underwater cavern. After creating an entrance, they deploy underwater sensors to probe the cave but quickly lose their signal. Venturing out to retrieve the sensors, they are abruptly ambushed by a ferocious creature from the deep.

3. ‘The Abyss’ (1989)

In James Cameron’s 1989 sci-fi thriller “The Abyss,” a civilian diving team is enlisted to assist in the search for a lost nuclear submarine deep in the ocean.

As they venture deeper into the abyss, they grapple with the challenges of the treacherous environment and encounter mysterious aquatic extraterrestrial beings that change their perspective on life and humanity’s place in the universe.

4. ‘Sphere’ (1998)

A group of experts, including psychologist Norman Goodman (Dustin Hoffman), biochemist Beth Halperin (Sharon Stone), and mathematician Harry Adams (Samuel L. Jackson), dive deep into the Pacific to investigate an age-old spacecraft on the ocean floor.

As they uncover its enigmatic contents, they encounter a lethal extraterrestrial assassin. Cut off from the surface and with their numbers dwindling, the harrowed survivors confront a startling reality beneath the waves.

5. ‘Dagon’ (2001)

After a devastating boating accident, a young man and woman find themselves stranded in a dilapidated Spanish fishing village. As they explore their eerie surroundings, they soon realize that the town harbors a dark secret.

The villagers are under the malevolent influence of an ancient sea deity and its terrifying half-human progeny.

As the couple delves deeper into the village’s mysteries, they are drawn into a web of local myths, ritualistic worship, and chilling supernatural occurrences rooted in the ancient lovecraftian maritime lore.

6. ‘Below’ (2002)

In “Below” (2002), a World War II U.S. submarine picks up three survivors from a torpedoed British hospital ship. As they continue their mission, the crew starts to experience a series of increasingly unsettling and mysterious events.

They begin to suspect the ship is haunted and that the new passengers might be connected to the eerie occurrences.

As paranoia and tensions rise, they must navigate the dangers of the enemy above the waters and the supernatural threats lurking below. The line between reality and illusion blurs, pushing the crew to the edge of sanity.

7. ‘Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea’ (1961)

In “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea,” Admiral Harriman Nelson unveils a state-of-the-art nuclear submarine with a unique “glass nose” feature, offering a direct ocean view.

On its maiden voyage to the North Pole with Captain Lee Crane, his wife, Cathy Connors, the Admiral’s scientist ally Lucius Emery, and some distinguished guests, including politicians and Dr. Susan Hiller, they are startled by an explosion-like sound. Upon surfacing, they witness the sky ablaze.

They soon discover that the Earth’s Van Allen radioactive belt has inexplicably ignited, putting the planet in peril. With only sixteen days to reach the precise location to fire a missile that could neutralize the threat, Admiral Nelson and his crew embark on a desperate race against time to save the world.

8. ‘Leviathan’ (1989)

In “Leviathan” (1989), a team of deep-sea miners headed by oceanographer Steven Beck discovers the remains of a Soviet freighter. However, their exploration quickly turns nightmarish as they encounter a grotesque mutant creature resulting from a botched genetic experiment.

The crew, played by stars such as Peter Weller, Ernie Hudson, Richard Crenna, and Daniel Stern, find themselves in a deadly cat-and-mouse chase with the monstrous entity deep beneath the ocean’s surface.

Directed by George P. Cosmatos and boasting creature effects by the renowned Stan Winston, “Leviathan” drew comparisons to other Sci-Fi horror classics like “Alien” and “The Thing” upon its release.

9. ‘Pressure’ (2015)

Off the coast of Somalia, experienced divers Engel, Mitchell, Hurst, and the novice Jones are assigned the perilous job of mending an underwater oil pipeline. Despite looming storm warnings, they venture out.

Although they successfully repair the pipeline, their ship is tragically sunk by the storm, taking the lives of everyone on board. With dwindling oxygen supplies, the divers scramble to communicate with the surface.

Mitchell, their leader, remains hopeful of a rescue. But the looming question is: will the oil company dispatch another vessel for their rescue, or are they left to fend for themselves in the depths below?

10. ‘Deep Blue Sea’ (1999)

A team of scientists and researchers aboard a secluded submarine are close to a breakthrough: a nerve stimulant derived from shark brain extract that could potentially cure Alzheimer’s disease.

However, unbeknownst to the team, project heads Susan McAlester (Saffron Burrows) and Jim Whitlock (Stellan Skarsgård) have resorted to unauthorized genetic manipulation to increase the sharks’ brain sizes, hoping for accelerated results.

During a fierce storm, as the team celebrates their achievements, the genetically altered sharks strategically orchestrate an escape from their confines. With their lives in grave danger, the group, including shark wrangler Carter Blake (Thomas Jane) and chef Preacher (LL Cool J), must race to the surface to survive.

11. ‘The Meg’ (2018)

When a mysterious threat strikes an underwater research facility operated by Chinese scientists, leaving a submarine incapacitated at the depths of the Mariana Trench, the center’s chief oceanographer, Dr. Zhang Suyin, calls upon Jonas Taylor, a former naval captain and seasoned diver.

Jonas is then thrust into a perilous mission that teeters on the brink of the impossible.

12. ‘Deep Rising’ (1998)

In the South China Sea, a speedboat laden with mercenaries and a menacing payload—a nuclear warhead—makes its way toward the vessel “Argonautic.”

Nearby, the unsuspecting luxury liner “Argonautic” sails peacefully, only to be ambushed by a colossal, unidentified creature.

As the mercenaries board the vessel, a handful of survivors recount their harrowing encounter with immense mutant worms.

13. ‘Virus’ (1999)

Captain Everton’s (Donald Sutherland) vessel, “Sea Star,” sustained significant damage when caught in a ferocious storm in the open ocean. To find refuge, he steers the ship into the storm’s eye, where the waters are still and conditions more manageable.

Within this calm, they stumble upon a technologically advanced Russian ship with only one living crew member on board. As members of the “Sea Star,” including Kelly (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Steve (William Baldwin), explore the ship, they soon discover they’re not alone and begin to unravel the mystery behind the disappearance of the Russian crew.

14. ‘The Deep House’ (2021)

Ben and Tina, a young, engaged couple and YouTube content creators, travel through Europe to explore haunted houses. In southwest France, they encounter Pierre, a local, who guides them to a mansion submerged in a lake. 

Once inside, they find the house well-preserved but experience eerie occurrences, including strange voices and unexplained drone activity. They discover images of missing children, satanic symbols, corpses, and body parts as they delve further. Their attempts to escape are ruined when the house’s exits become mysteriously blocked, trapping them within.

15. ‘The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou’ (2004)

Celebrated oceanographer Steve Zissou (B. Murray) is renowned for his detailed documentaries showcasing his global sea explorations. Yet, his personal life is tumultuous. He’s estranged from his wife Eleanor (A. Huston), shares a tense relationship with her ex-husband Alistair (J. Goldblum), and recently discovered he has an adult son, Ned Plimpton (O. Wilson).

Following the grand debut of his latest film, Steve embarks on a mission to find the elusive jaguar shark responsible for the death of his close friend and colleague.

Joining this quest are Ned, Eleanor, and journalist Jane (C. Blanchett), who’s chronicling Steve’s endeavors. However, as their voyage begins, the crew soon faces challenges, including confrontations with pirates.