Being out on the sea is meant to be a wonderful experience, but there has always been a terror over the possibility of what lies beneath the water. Whether they are horror films, disasters, or grand, sweeping adventures, movies set on boats have a long history in cinema.
Related:Best Video Game Levels Set On ShipsBefore talking occurred in movies, Buster Keaton was starring in films set at sea. Boats always leave the possibility of sinking, and danger lurking around every corner, and provide the sort of claustrophobic setting that can be a huge advantage for storytelling.
8Titanic
James Cameron may be obsessed with making as manyAvatarmovies as possible now, but before any of that, he was creating a beautiful, hugely memorable, and award-winning classicTitanic. Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCapriostar as young loversfrom different walks of life that meet days before disaster strikes.
The boat goes down at the end but the fictionalized retelling of what came before deals with fascinating themes. The intense chemistry between the leads made this one of the most beloved romance tales of all time.
7Master & Commander: The Far Side Of The World
Russell Crowe stars as the captain of a ship in the Royal Navy which goes on a mission after a French privateer ship during the Napoleonic Wars. Based on a series of novels around the career of Captain Jack Aubrey,Master & Commanderwas a great film that managed 10 Oscar nominations but only two wins asThe Lord of the Rings: Return of the Kingswept most categories.
While the film didn’t manage to perform well enough at the box office for a sequel, it was said as recently as 2021 that there was a potential prequel film being developed.Russell Crowe andPaul Bettany in particular put in astounding performances in this sweeping adventure.
6Jaws
While a lot of the film is not set on the boat itself, many of the parts of what makesJawsso incredibly memorable as a movie are the heart-quickening battle scenes as the three men who come together to tackle the titular shark engage it. Lines like “we’re gonna need a bigger boat” aresome of the most memorablein film history.
Jawsis a classic by Steven Spielberg that deals with the true terror of something that could be lurking just beneath the surface of the water out on the ocean. The music, flair, and feel ofJawshave gone down in movie history because of the significant way it induced terror in viewers.
5Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl
One of the most famous films,Pirates of the Caribbeanworked so well partly because of the great performances, particularly that of Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow. But also because of the intriguing, fun story and amazing visuals. This filmled off a franchisethat was truly a blockbuster because it delivered something rarely seen in cinema.
Related:Best Movies Set In The 18th CenturyThe mixture of the historical setting and fantastical elements was a pitch-perfect blend and mixed with excellent sword fights, grand music, and adventure,The Curse of the Black Pearlcreated a concoction that was every inch blockbuster material.
4The Hunt For Red October
Something else beneath the water is the submarine that Sean Connery’s character commanded in this excellently tense thriller.CIA analyst Jack Ryanraces against time as he searches for a Russian submarine, as he suspects that the commander of the sub wants to defect.
This Cold War thriller has an all-star cast that includes Connery, Alec Baldwin, Sam Neill, and James Earl Jones. The setting and the claustrophobic atmosphere inside the submarine are excellent aspects that felt completely unique for an action film of this sort.
3Mutiny On The Bounty
A classic film from 1935 that won the Best Picture Oscar that year,Mutiny on the Bountystars Clark Gable and Charles Laughton as the lieutenant and ruthless captain of the HMS Bounty. The adventures they go on while the crew prepares to rebel against their dictatorial leader are fascinating and remain a great watch today.
Despite historical inaccuracies, this version of the story is the most beloved. The true story of William Bligh is an intriguing one and Laughton plays him excellently, while Clark Gable gives one of the best performances in his illustrious career.
2The Poseidon Adventure
The Poseidon Adventureis perhaps the best example ofa disaster film setat sea. The legendary film, released in 1972, features Gene Hackman as a preacher who attempts to lead a group of survivors through a ship that has overturned at sea on New Year’s Eve.
The group and their journey to try and escape the ship while it floods is attention-grabbing and doesn’t need to be excused at all for having aged, it still looks and is fantastic, tension-packed viewing. Hackman’s performance is a particular highlight, and the slow deterioration of their group is one of the best examples of a crew being picked off in film history.
1Das Boot
Another filmbased on a submarine,Das Bootis a German movie set during World War II on a U-boat. A tragic story, filled with the intrigue of how U-boat conditions were during the war, the film deals with the hatred that many veteran soldiers were filled with for Nazi Germany.
One of the best World War II films and one of the best German films of all time, the change in perspective and the fascinating job the film does with how it portrays the war is still heavily praised and discussed even though the film was released in 1981.
