Ocean Thriller Movies

From Wolfgang Petersen, starring Jürgen Prochnow, Herbert Grönemeyer, Klaus Wennemann, Hubertus Bengsch
Rated R

The Boat is a 1981 German drama film directed by Wolfgang Petersen. It tells the story of three generations of a German family who are trying to cope with the aftermath of World War II. The main character is a young man, Uwe, who is struggling to make a living as a fisherman. He is constantly at odds with his father, a former sailor who is bitter about the war and his role in it. Uwe eventually decides to embark on his own voyage of discovery, taking his father's boat and sailing off into the unknown. Along his journey, he meets a variety of characters, including a young girl who has been horribly disfigured by the war. Through his travels, Uwe comes to terms with his father's past, and learns that there is hope and redemption in life.

From Steven Spielberg, starring Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary
Rated PG

Jaws is a classic 1975 American horror-thriller directed by Steven Spielberg. Based on Peter Benchley's novel of the same name, the film stars Roy Scheider as Police Chief Martin Brody, Richard Dreyfuss as oceanographer Matt Hooper, Robert Shaw as fisherman Quint, and Murray Hamilton as the mayor of Amity Island. When a great white shark begins attacking swimmers off the coast of Amity Island, the town is thrust into a state of panic. Brody and Hooper join Quint in an attempt to hunt down and kill the shark. Through a series of close calls and suspenseful encounters, the three men eventually succeed in their mission. Overall, Jaws is a timeless classic that has set the standard for all subsequent thrillers. With its iconic score and powerful performances, it remains one of the most popular and beloved films of all time.

From James Cameron, starring Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michael Biehn, Leo Burmester
Rated PG-13

The Abyss is a science fiction action film directed by James Cameron and starring Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. The plot follows a team of underwater drillers who are sent to investigate a nuclear submarine that has gone missing. They quickly discover that the sub has been attacked by an alien force and is now sitting in a deep trench at the bottom of the ocean. As they explore the trench, they encounter a mysterious and powerful force that threatens to destroy everything they know. The team must then find a way to save the sub and the world from the abyss. Along the way, they discover that the power of the abyss may hold the key to saving humanity.

From John McTiernan, starring Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, Scott Glenn, Sam Neill
Rated PG

The Hunt for Red October is a 1990 American spy thriller film based on Tom Clancy's 1984 novel of the same name. The film follows Soviet submarine captain Marko Ramius (Sean Connery) as he attempts to defect to the United States with his officers and the cutting-edge nuclear missile submarine Red October. It stars Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, Scott Glenn, Sam Neill, James Earl Jones, and Tim Curry. The film follows CIA analyst Jack Ryan (Baldwin) as he works with a joint U.S.–Soviet Naval task force to prevent Ramius from launching a nuclear attack on the U.S. The Red October is a state-of-the-art Soviet ballistic missile submarine that has been upgraded with a revolutionary stealth technology known as "caterpillar drive" that makes it impossible to detect with sonar. As Ramius steers the Red October toward the United States, the task force must find a way to stop him before he can launch a nuclear attack. The movie culminates in an intense battle between the Red October and the American task force, which ultimately results in Ramius and his crew defecting to the U.S.

From Tony Scott, starring Gene Hackman, Denzel Washington, Matt Craven, George Dzundza
Rated R

From Richard Fleischer, starring Kirk Douglas, James Mason, Paul Lukas, Peter Lorre
Rated G

From Ronald Neame, starring Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Shelley Winters, Red Buttons
Rated PG

From Andrew Davis, starring Kevin Costner, Ashton Kutcher, Sela Ward, Melissa Sagemiller
Rated PG-13

From Directors: John Bruno, Ray Quint, Andrew Wight, starring James Cameron, Suzy Amis, Frank Lotito, Lachlan Woods
Rated PG

From Kathryn Bigelow, starring Harrison Ford, Sam Spruell, Peter Stebbings, Christian Camargo
Rated PG-13

From Jonathan Mostow, starring Matthew McConaughey, Bill Paxton, Harvey Keitel, Jon Bon Jovi
Rated PG-13

From Wolfgang Petersen, starring George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, John C. Reilly, Diane Lane
Rated PG-13

From Kevin Macdonald, starring Jude Law, Scoot McNairy, Ben Mendelsohn, David Threlfall
Rated R

From Andrew V. McLaglen, starring Roger Moore, James Mason, Anthony Perkins, Michael Parks
Rated PG

From Jaume Collet-Serra, starring Blake Lively, Óscar Jaenada, Angelo Josue Lozano Corzo, Joseph Salas
Rated PG-13

From Peter Yates, starring Jacqueline Bisset, Nick Nolte, Dick Anthony Williams, Robert Shaw
Rated PG

From Kevin Reynolds, starring Kevin Costner, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Dennis Hopper, Tina Majorino
Rated PG-13

From Barry Levinson, starring Dustin Hoffman, Sharon Stone, Samuel L. Jackson, Peter Coyote
Rated PG-13

From David Twohy, starring Bruce Greenwood, David Crow, Matthew Davis, Holt McCallany
Rated R

From Irwin Allen, starring Walter Pidgeon, Joan Fontaine, Barbara Eden, Peter Lorre
Rated PG

From Erik Skjoldbjærg, starring Aksel Hennie, Wes Bentley, Stephen Lang, Stephanie Sigman
Rated R

From Renny Harlin, starring Thomas Jane, Saffron Burrows, Samuel L. Jackson, Jacqueline McKenzie
Rated R

From Joe Dante, starring Bradford Dillman, Heather Menzies-Urich, Kevin McCarthy, Keenan Wynn
Rated R

From John Stockwell, starring Paul Walker, Jessica Alba, Scott Caan, Ashley Scott
Rated PG-13

From Alister Grierson, starring Rhys Wakefield, Allison Cratchley, Christopher James Baker, Richard Roxburgh
Rated R