Overview
Under Paris (originally titled Sous la Seine) is an action-horror film released on Netflix in 2024. It was directed by Xavier Gens, who is well-known for his horror films. Gens’ new film undertakes the audacious premise of framing a shark attack sequel around a deadliest shortfin mako shark attacking during a triathlon taking place in Paris, which is in the heart of France. What could easily be dismissed as a campy B-movie is elevated by the stellar performances, strong environmental themes, and bold structural storytelling risks.
In the film, Bérénice Béjo plays sophia, a marine biologist with a dark past involving a shark attack. Her Life intersects with the politics of a city that refuses to cancel a public event in bolstered by evidence of a lurking predator. Under Paris becomes not just a thrilling ride, but a commentary on the impotence of political frameworks in dealing with environmental realities.
Plot Summary
The movie opens with a nurse shark that physicist sophia tracks with her team in the Pacific Ocean. During a system sequence of events, a nurse shark goes rogue and savages Sophia’s husband and colleagues. Sophia manages to endure the experience, but is left traumatized and emotionally withdrawn.
Three years later, she worked at the main aquarium in Paris. An environmental activist, Mika, approaches her with startling new information that Lilith’s tracking signal has appeared, and this time, it is in the Seine. At first skeptical, Sophia begins to change her mind when a diver’s body is found brutally mutilated in the river.
While Sylia looks into the matter further, Mika and her fellow environmental activists continue to keep tabs on the shark’s movements, trying to get a hold of city council representatives. With the political figure being preoccupied with the Paris triathlon, the center of attention for the city’s Olympic display, the activists are ignored by the ambitious mayor. Adil, a police diver, joins Sophia, and together they work to uncover greater quite everything while battling city politics, media apathy, and the frantic public.
Tension Peak is when chaos erupts, and lives are lost after Lilith attacks in the middle of a triathlon event. Now a frantic rescue mission is underway in the center of the city. Sophia, while the officers try to regain control of the situation, starts to put the pieces together thinking that Lilith’s mutation is more dangerous than initially thought. In a surprising twist, it turns out that Lilith has the ability to reproduce asexually which propels the assumption for a sequel. It also shows the film’s primary message: humans are not ready for nature’s next move.
Main Characters and Their Roles
Bérénice Bejo as Sophia: The character Sophia is the protagonist around which the film revolves. She suffers from emotional trauma and tragedy which Bejo excellently shows through her performance. Acting with a unique blend of responsibility and scientific instinct, her development from recluse to active participant makes the narrative compelling.
Nassim Lyes as Adil: Adil is a police diver who appears as a supporting character alongside Sophia. Sympathetic and effective, he brings a rational perspective to the storyline and counters with spirited skepticism while guiding the more action-oriented scenes.
Léa Léviant as Mika: An ambitious young activist, she plays an important role concerning the discovery of the film’s oceanic themes. Mika’s idealistic face of youth serves in stark contrast to the oppressive systems she seeks to change.
The Mayor (Anne Marivin): Demonstrating the juxtaposition of political apathy, she attends to matters of image rather than safety. As the film’s human antagonist, she resists media and safety protocols, science, and precaution in favor of narcissism and prestige.
Direction and Cinematography
Xavier Gens blends horror and disaster film elements with success. He captures the beauty of Paris, its splendor, as well as the lurking danger beneath its waters. Cinematographer Nicolas Massart captures dread and suspense with his eerie underwater shots, as well as the claustrophobic city scenes.
The shark subgenre is almost entirely reserved for open water, but the addition of the catacombs and Parisian sewers add a unique layer of terror. Here, the dimly lit, narrow spaces of confined tunnels increase danger, and the lack of escape routes becomes life threatening. These sequences is where the film most excels in tension.
The film does not descend into outright parody, despite its absurd premise. Rather, it fully embraces the concept, enhancing the atmosphere with dramatic lighting, swift cuts during attacks, and a moody, synth-laden score to sustain tension.
Themes and Symbolism
Environmental Degradation: Under Paris exemplifies how environmental negligence can bring about unmanageable consequences. The shark’s journey from the Pacific Garbage Patch symbolizes the vengeful side of nature. Nature’s pollution, together with Paris’s water systems, bears hubris, illustrating an attitude starkly devoid of pesonal accountability.
Political Irresponsibility: The mayor’s continued support for holding the triathlon symbolizes politically motivated inaction during crises. For the sake maintenance of public perception, safety and wellbeing is disregarded. This demonstrates the vapid nature of modern leadership, where spectacle is prioritized over substance and central goals.
Grief and Redemption: Sophia’s character arc highlights trauma on a personal level. Her journey to the waters that nearly claim her life, where she confronts the creature that alters her existence, speaks to her quest for closure as much as it does to an act of heroism.
Mutation and Evolution: The ability of Lilith to reproduce sans partner adds horror and a sci-fi twist. This is frighteningly emblematic of climate change and vioence against nature: left unto itself, extreme conditions may trigger adaptation in nature.
Reception
Reviews focused on suspense and originality were largely favorable. Critics applauded the blending of serious concepts and entertainment in addition to the setting and pacing of the film. Acclaimed performances included Bejo’s.
Critics have pointed out the use of overblown action sequences and genre clichés in the film’s third act. Despite this, it has now become one of Netflix’s most viewed non-English films of the year, with many viewers appreciating its boldness.
The ending’s sudden conclusion alongside its commercial success has already generated interest for a sequel, with reports of production scheduled to begin in 2025.
Final thoughts
Under Paris transcends the boundaries of a typical monster film. It offers a unique perspective on a predator’s ecological dread by transplanting sharks from the sea to city canals in the midst of a gripping thriller, which delivers breathtaking horror while thoughtfully addressing climate change, political abandonment, and personal recovery.
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