Variety
Even two glamorous and well-matched stars of the moment can't do much to undermine the Wenders meander.
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Submergence
James McAvoy and Alicia Vikander are lovers separated by distance and circumstance in this Wim Wenders-helmed drama based on J. M. Ledgard's novel.
"The story begins with a deliriously wild love affair between two people near the resort town of Dieppe, on France's northern coast. They fall rapidly and unexpectedly into each other's arms, even though their jobs are destined to separate them. Neither is fully prepared for what will happen next. While Danny, fascinated with exploring the ocean's greatest depths, sets off on a perilous quest, James leaves for Somalia, where he is soon sucked into a geopolitical vortex that puts him in grave danger. Both characters are subject to different kinds of isolation as they pine for each other; their determination to reconnect becomes as much an existential journey as a love story." (Toronto International Film Festival)
2017Rating: M, Mature themes, violence and coarse language112 minsUSA, France, Spain
DramaThrillerRomance
- Director:
- Wim Wenders ('Wings of Desire', 'Paris, Texas', 'Until the End of the World')
- Writer:
- Erin Dignam
- Cast:
- James McAvoyAlicia VikanderAlexander SiddigCelyn JonesReda KatebMohamed HakeemshadyHarvey Friedman
Submergence / Reviews
The New York Times
Ms. Dignam's script distills the novel into middlebrow Hollywood treacle.
Full reviewThe Guardian
It's a love story, it's a spy thriller, it's an underwater adventure, it's about terrorism, it's about climate change, it's about being ghosted by text (!). But ultimately - sadly, predictably - it's also a bit of a mess.
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Screen Daily
Wim Wenders' latest is a handsome production which, although it is rich with symbolism, is ultimately not quite as satisfying as it should be.
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Los Angeles Times
Despite the potent raw material at his disposal, Wenders listlessly flips back and forth between the two backdrops, allowing any remaining element of dramatic tension to slowly seep out along the way.
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Hollywood Reporter
The most roundly satisfying fiction feature Wenders has made since, well, that first one about the angel so in love he gives up immortality.
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FilmInk
A quiet meditation on how love can be an oasis in a cruel and violent world, Submergence is a strong work from a bona fide cinematic master.
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