When a plane crashes in the Pacific Ocean and comes to rest on the edge of an underwater ravine, the survivors face a race against time to escape the airlocked galley they are trapped in. A film by Claudio Fäh, starring Sophie McIntosh, Will Attenborough, Jeremias Amoore, Manuel Pacific, Grace Nettle, and Phyllis Logan.

Brandon (Colm Meaney) jolts awake from a nightmare about a woman drowned in the ocean. The film later reveals that the woman in his dream was Ava’s late mother. Brandon used to serve in the army. Now he lives in an RV and works as a bodyguard for Governor Abrahamson and his daughter Ava.

Governor Abrahamson assigns Brandon to be Ava’s personal bodyguard during her trip to the resort town of Cabo, Mexico, with her boyfriend Jed (Jeremias Amoore) and his buddy Kyle (Will Attenborough). Jed is surprised that Ava brings Brandon along. However, Ava tells him that her father insisted.

The elder couple, Hank (James Carroll Jordan) and Mardy (Phyllis Logan), also bring their granddaughter, Rosa (Grace Nettle), for a one-week vacation in Cabo. While walking to the waiting area, Rosa accidentally drops her teddy bear, Mr. Tibbs. Realizing she’s lost it, Rosa rushes back to find it.

In her haste, Rosa bumps into Ava, spilling Ava’s coffee all over her shawl. Annoyed, Ava raises her voice. Rosa, tearfully apologizing, runs back to her grandfather. Seeing Rosa’s distress, Ava realizes she overreacted and remembers a teddy bear she saw earlier on the ground. Returning, she finds the bear and gives it back to Rosa.

While flying over the ocean, the plane encounters a flock of birds. One of the birds collides with a wing-mounted engine, causing it to catch fire and explode. The sudden loss of power results in a rapid drop in altitude, which breaches the side of the fuselage. Several passengers are tragically sucked out before the plane crashes into the ocean. Most passengers and crew members are killed on impact, including Hank.

The wreckage sinks rapidly, coming to rest on the seabed, close to the edge of a bottomless ravine. Trapped in an air pocket with their air supply dwindling, the surviving passengers and flight attendant Danilo (Manuel Pacific) cling to hope for a rescue team. However, their hope is soon dashed as they realize they are surrounded by bloodthirsty sharks.

Directed by Swiss filmmaker Claudio Fäh, “NO WAY UP” features an intriguing premise: a group of plane crash survivors must find a way out before their air runs out or they will be eaten by deadly sharks. However, the screenplay by Andy Mayson falls short, filled with one-dimensional characters burdened by generic tragic pasts. The film’s unclear tone adds to the disappointment.

Despite incorporating elements that are often illogical and unrealistic in shark films, “NO WAY UP” fails to deliver genuine scares. The forced jokes and insensitive sarcasm often miss the mark, making the character appears foolish rather than endearing.

To succeed, a survival film needs characters the viewers can root for. Unfortunately, “NO WAY UP” lacks such individuals. While other recent shark films may contain unrealistic elements for comedic effect, they maintain a clear goal and execute it effectively. Ultimately, “NO WAY UP” is neither thrilling or funny.

NO WAY UP was theatrically released in the United Kingdom on 12 February 2024, and in the United States on 16 February.