Featured Audience Ratings

• Anthony L

  
  What Lies Beneath is directed well and has some strong performances by a very capable cast. The character development goes well to begin with, both Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer playing a convincing married couple, then it all seems to go wrong. There are a few great scenes in… More
  What Lies Beneath is directed well and has some strong performances by a very capable cast. The character development goes well to begin with, both Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer playing a convincing married couple, then it all seems to go wrong. There are a few great scenes in the film but none of them work together to make a great film. Many sub-plots lead to anti-climaxes, genres get confused and suddenly history changes without any real explanation. *Spoiler alert* You can't develop a character to then say 'Oh, by the way, you were in a traffic accident, that we wont go into, so you might have forgotten this really important thing I'm about to tell you. Don't try to make a Hitchcock tribute by breaking all of his rules! As a psychological thriller it fails. As a supernatural thriller it fails. As a haunted house thriller it fails. As an entertaining use of 2 hours + it fails.

• Red L

  
  Man this movie dragged for me. I could not stay interested long enough to be interested in the story.

• Emil K

  
  Robert Zemeckis surpasses even the great Alfred Hitchcock with this stylish and genuinely eerie horror film. What Lies Beneath is a film that may seem like a standard thriller with supernatural twist in it on the surface but overall it works on surprisingly many levels. Zemeckis is… More
  Robert Zemeckis surpasses even the great Alfred Hitchcock with this stylish and genuinely eerie horror film. What Lies Beneath is a film that may seem like a standard thriller with supernatural twist in it on the surface but overall it works on surprisingly many levels. Zemeckis is like Brian De Palma at his very best here. With his inventive camera angles and genius use of silence, sound effects and music this is one of those rare horror films that succeeds perfectly in balancing between shocks and slowly building tension. I myself has always admired directors that work inside the big studion systems but succeeds still to remain their own artistic voice as a director and Zemeckis shows exactly that kind of talent here. Like many of the other great directors like Martin Scorsese, Brian De palma or Michael Mann for example, he is capable to make visually ambitious films that has artistic voice of his own. What Lies Beneath is easily Zemeckis's darkest film to date. It is also much more about characters and less about special effects than any of his other films. It is not a surprise that he is capable to bring best froms his actors. He already showed tremendous skill with them in his masterful Contact. That film is by far one of the best films of it's genre and is still a bit overlooked. Threre Zemeckis succeeded to tell highly emotional story meanwhile he also made it equally philosophical and riveting journey into the unknown. Like in his Contact, Zemeckis is at the top of his game here also. Every camera movement, every carefully constructed sound and every brilliant twist makes this film something truly unique. Director of photography Don Burgess certainly knows how to build tension with simple and elegant camera moves. It is fresh to see horror film that does not rely on quick editing or otherwise hyper active camera. Same goes for Alan Silvestri's effective score that borrows just right amounts of Bernard Herrmann's work. He does not underline every moment with his music and it is only at the very climax of the film that he unleashes his orchestra with a thunderous finale. Second by second and minute by minute director Robert Zemeckis builds his film to it's masterfully constructed final thirty minutes. By that point all the audiences exceptations about who is actually who and what is real and what is not will be turned upside down. I have always loved these kind of thrillers with mysterious supernatural elements since i was a little kid. This genre actually pulled me into the world of films and teached me a lot about filmmaking. What Lies Beneath is a important film to me because it reminds me of why i love films and do watch them so often.

• Universal D

  
  In this no-bones-about-it homage to Hitchcock, Director Robert Zemekis adds a touch of the supernatural to the Master's usual game of confusing possibilities as a empty nesting mom starts to hear strange ("what's that? is anybody there?") noises in the house. The… More
  In this no-bones-about-it homage to Hitchcock, Director Robert Zemekis adds a touch of the supernatural to the Master's usual game of confusing possibilities as a empty nesting mom starts to hear strange ("what's that? is anybody there?") noises in the house. The leads are wholesome and warm ... until the twist at the end. Count the references to Hitchcock hallmarks!

• Jeff "

  
  What Lies Beneath has an interesting concept with a good cast. Director Robert Zemeckis crafts a good ghost story here, and manages to keep the thrills and chills fresh as the film progresses. What Lies Beneath is good horror film with a good cast. Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer… More
  What Lies Beneath has an interesting concept with a good cast. Director Robert Zemeckis crafts a good ghost story here, and manages to keep the thrills and chills fresh as the film progresses. What Lies Beneath is good horror film with a good cast. Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer are good here, and the story is entertaining, chilling and scary. What Lies Beneath was very entertaining, and it kept me on the edge of my seat quite a few times. The cast do a fine job, and the story is quite interesting. I very much enjoyed this film Harrison Ford is pretty good in this, and though he doesn't deliver any memorable performances such was the case of Han Solo, and Indiana Jones, he still is able to pull through with a good enough performance to keep you interested in the overall film. What Lies Beneath has a good story that is very engaging. What Lies Beneath is a flawed film, but it manages good scares and does keep you on the edge of your seat. The cast are very good here, and considering that Harrison Ford is a so-so actor nowadays, he does deliver here. Robert Zemeckis has a good directorial style and he sets a good tone and atmosphere for the film, key elements for a good horror yarn. What lies Beneath is a good, creepy film that has a good cast and an interesting story that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

• Chris W

  
  This film has a plot typical of silly b-movie supernatural thrillers, but, thanks to some good effects, decent performances, and some sharp direction, this transcends all that, and becomes a pretty solid and entertaining piece of wrok. It also helps that this film has great atmopshere… More
  This film has a plot typical of silly b-movie supernatural thrillers, but, thanks to some good effects, decent performances, and some sharp direction, this transcends all that, and becomes a pretty solid and entertaining piece of wrok. It also helps that this film has great atmopshere and some purposely overt nods to Hitchcock that DIDN'T come off as hokey. This is a fun and clever movie, and you foget that, much like Jaws, it's just a b-movie, albeit one done so well that it becomes art or at least far better than you'd expect. Harrison Ford is good in a role that's a nice change of pace, Michelle Pfeiffer is great at playing nutty, the music is terrific, the cinematography is awesome, and I loved all the homages. All in all, good stuff. If you like well done supernatural thrillers, give this one a go.

• Christopher A

  
  What Lies Beneath is a chilling paranormal thriller, supported by a fantastic cast that left me nervously watching on as events unfold. Its easy to see how the hugely popular and more recent scare a minute flicks such as Paranormal Activity take note from this film's clever way… More
  What Lies Beneath is a chilling paranormal thriller, supported by a fantastic cast that left me nervously watching on as events unfold. Its easy to see how the hugely popular and more recent scare a minute flicks such as Paranormal Activity take note from this film's clever way of building tension. Despite that comparison, dont think that film is a jump a minute, its not and never develops into that sort of film. Its not that cheap. Pfeiffer as the haunted Claire is the star here and it is really her that leads us through the emotions we feel as a viewer. Ford is as cool as ever and the chemistry between the two is powerful. "You stole the dead woman's shoe? "

• xGary X

  
  The wife of a work obsessed academic becomes convinced that the ghost of a dead girl is inhabiting their new home. What Lies Beneath has all the hallmarks of a big money, mainstream Hollywood thriller. The two heavyweight leads were never going to disappoint, veteran director Robert… More
  The wife of a work obsessed academic becomes convinced that the ghost of a dead girl is inhabiting their new home. What Lies Beneath has all the hallmarks of a big money, mainstream Hollywood thriller. The two heavyweight leads were never going to disappoint, veteran director Robert Zemeckis' work behind the camera was always going to be surefooted and the whole thing has that gloss of well engineered "quality". Yet it's all so very soulless and generic it will never set your world alight. More a homage to Hitchcock than a true ghost story, it has the obvious references a bathroom setting was sure to contain and even the soundtrack owes more than a little to Psycho, but the edginess of that classic is sorely missing. Solid, but oh so very safe.

• Dean !

  
  I love these type of supernatural thrillers, very well made with a strong cast.

• Dead A

  
  This wasn't that much scary like everyone was saying. Not bad though.

• Conner R

  
  It's a decent attempt from Michelle Phiefer and Harrison Ford, but it is neither of the two's better performances. It's sort of a kooky story that has a few scares here and there, but it doesn't have a lasting effect and is highly unmemorable.

• Lady D

  
  The thing that makes this film work so well, is the cleverly placed, typical Horror type scenarios, that never seem to materialise, yet keep you waiting for them to happen, check through the film, they are all there. Hence this becomes an edge of your seat Thriller, with heightened… More
  The thing that makes this film work so well, is the cleverly placed, typical Horror type scenarios, that never seem to materialise, yet keep you waiting for them to happen, check through the film, they are all there. Hence this becomes an edge of your seat Thriller, with heightened intensity that keeps your mind challenged.

• Jason O

  
  Dr. Norman Spencer (Harrison Ford) and his wife, Claire (Michelle Pfeiffer), have a great marriage and it seems like nothing could go wrong. However, things take a major turn when Claire starts seeing signs that their house might be haunted. Will these mysterious signs prove to be a… More
  Dr. Norman Spencer (Harrison Ford) and his wife, Claire (Michelle Pfeiffer), have a great marriage and it seems like nothing could go wrong. However, things take a major turn when Claire starts seeing signs that their house might be haunted. Will these mysterious signs prove to be a true haunting, or is Claire just seeing things? Robert Zemeckis, who also directed "Cast Away," has a real winner with "What Lies Beneath." It's more of a suspense movie than anything, but there's also some drama and horror involved. From start to finish, everything works perfectly for "What Lies Beneath." Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer are the two main stars, so you know it has GREAT acting. It also has great special effects, good camera work, and so on. But what really makes "What Lies Beneath" stand out is its suspense! Whether it's Claire seeing another reflection in the water or a sudden change of the movie's mood, this movie is VERY suspenseful. Not only is the suspense about as top notch as it can get, the musical score, the camera work, and everything else, add even more to the edge of the seat atmosphere. The storyline is almost as good as the suspense. No matter what happens, as long as you pay attention, you'll be able to understand everything without having to think a whole lot. If you like horror or suspense movies, you've gotta see "What Lies Beneath." When it comes to the rent or buy question, I recommend buying it! You won't be disappointed! NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2001. This was one of Harrison Ford's shining moments outside of Indiana Jones to me. Such a good movie.

• Martin S

  
  One of the true greats. Fantasic movie. The first hour the suspense was killing me...great story and great acting....And Harrison Ford just manage to be there without taking to much spotlight....that was great.

• Dean M

  
  Director Robert Zemeckis pays homage to Alfred Hitchcock in this spellbinding tale of a grieving woman who believes the spirit of a murdered woman is contacting her. Her behaviour becomes increasingly bizarre, much to the consternation of her conservative, professor husband. Nothing… More
  Director Robert Zemeckis pays homage to Alfred Hitchcock in this spellbinding tale of a grieving woman who believes the spirit of a murdered woman is contacting her. Her behaviour becomes increasingly bizarre, much to the consternation of her conservative, professor husband. Nothing is quite what it seems in this first-rate thriller, which features outstanding performances by Michelle Pfeiffer and Harrison Ford. The film relies on subtlety and suggestion, a rarity in this age of over-the-top shocks and special effects.

• Candy R

  
  Excellent supernatural thriller. Great plot, about a wife who sees supernatural things and believes her neighbour has been murdered.

• Tim S

  
  Harrison Ford should know better.

• Curtis L

  
  Scary the first time for sure.

• Dean L

  
  Excellent. Taut thriller with great performances by Pfeiffer and Ford. This movie ws gripping.

• Lafe F

  
  Complicated twisted plot, with lots of things to set the viewers on edge. They miscast Harrison Ford in a bad-guy role; something which you won't see too often. I didn't see too many Hitchcock parallels. I lost interest in all the twists. Good atmosphere and suspense is… More
  Complicated twisted plot, with lots of things to set the viewers on edge. They miscast Harrison Ford in a bad-guy role; something which you won't see too often. I didn't see too many Hitchcock parallels. I lost interest in all the twists. Good atmosphere and suspense is built up.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings