The 10 Best Diving Movies Ever Made 🇺🇸

Diving movies hold a special fascination. The unknown, dark deep with all its mysterious creatures has drawn generations of movie enthusiasts and led the creation of some of the most mesmerising screenplays. 

Especially movies shot in the pre-computer age required extraordinary efforts. In this list we introduce our favourite ten diving movies of all times.

10. The Neptune Factor 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. DeepStar Six

DeepStar Six is a secret underwater US Naval facility manned by a crew of six. When the team causes an explosion to expose a cave system they accidentally free a sea monster. Fighting for their survival the crew sets off a nuclear blast. 

Watch the trailer here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 8. The Deep 

A couple of divers accidentally discover historic artifacts in a shipwreck in the Bermudas. They soon get targeted by drug dealers who were hiding their product in the wreck. They enlist the help of an old treasure hunter to escape. 

Watch the trailer here.

 

 

 

 

 

7. Blue Water, White Death

Blue Water, White Death is a documentary about the Great White Sharks. It is one of the first of its kind and has great underwater scenes featuring the Ocean’s apex predator. It took the film crew over nine months to shoot this piece, traveling across South Africa, the Indian Ocean and Australia.

Watch the trailer here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Deep Blue Sea

 

A classic shark movie. Starring Saffron Burrows and Samuel L. Jackson the movie centers around a group of scientists who encounter genetically engineered sharks. The sharks, larger and smarter than their natural counterparts, flood the research base and attack the scientists.  

Watch the trailer here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. The Big Blue 

The Big Blue is a movie directed by Luc Besson. The movie tells the story of the famous 20th century freedivers Jacques Mayol and Enzo Maiorca. The film describes their rivalry and friendship, which ultimately results in the death of one of them. 

Watch the trailer here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Flipper

 

An all-time classic movie that needs no introduction. The adventures of Flipper, the friendly dolphin, who forms a special relationship with little boy Sandy Ricks have fascinated generations of movie enthusiasts. 

 

Watch the trailer here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. The Frogmen

 

A classic black-and-white World War II movie. The storyline is based on operations completed by the Underwater Demolition team of the US Navy. Taking place during World War II the movie shows operations targeting the Japanese naval forces. The movie essentially helped launch the ‘scuba diving’ movie genre. 

Watch the trailer here.

 

 

 

 

 

2. Thunderball

 

A classic Sean Connery Bond movie. In this mission Bond heads to the Bahamas to recover two nuclear warheads stolen by S.P.E.C.T.R.E. Agent Emilio Largo. The movie features opulent underwater diving scenes with Bond using a spear gun-armed underwater jet pack scuba.

Watch the trailer here.

 

 

 

 

 

1. The Abyss

 

Our absolute favourite diving movie is The Abyss. Directed by James Cameron in 1989 the movie tells the story of a search and recovery dive team tasked to recover a submarine that sank in the Caribbean. The gripping film shows their race against time, obstacles, the Soviets and betrayal.  

Watch the trailer here.