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So-so
Avg. Critic Score: 51 out of 100 Mixed or average reviews Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
15 Iffy for 15+
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 75
    San Francisco Chronicle | Bob Graham

    Goes Hitchcock one better by imagining what it would be like if the master had the advantage of digital technology. Read full review

  • 75
    Entertainment Weekly | Lisa Schwarzbaum

    Bears the weight of too many genres jostling for screen time. Read full review

  • 70
    Variety | Emanuel Levy

    A thriller that tries aggressively, but not entirely successfully, to deliver the goods of three genres -- suspense, supernatural and horror. Read full review

  • 50
    Boston Globe | Jay Carr

    Ford and Pfeiffer deliver craftsmanlike work, but the film steadily unravels as Zemeckis tries to ratchet up the suspense. Read full review

  • 50
    Rolling Stone | Peter Travers

    The scares are Hichcock hand-me-downs. Read full review

  • 50
    Chicago Sun-Times | Roger Ebert

    Lacking a smarter screenplay, it milks the genuine skills of its actors and director for more than it deserves, and then runs off the rails in an ending more laughable than scary. Read full review

  • 50
    USA Today | Susan Wloszczyna

    Never reaches much beyond the surface, and what lies there is all too predictable. Read full review

  • 40
    Washington Post | Rita Kempley

    Sparse and implausible screenplay. Read full review

  • 40
    The New York Times | A.O. Scott

    Glazes over faster than a Krispy Kreme doughnut, and neither is very flavorful after sitting around for a while. Read full review

  • 20
    Los Angeles Times | Kenneth Turan

    Feels more planned than passionate, scary at points but unconvincing overall. Read full review

View more reviews for What Lies Beneath on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says Iffy for 15+ Cross between Fatal Attraction, Poltergeist.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that the movie may scare young teens, especially those without much exposure to the conventions of horror movies. Younger teens may also be concerned about the marital conflicts and adultery displayed in the film. The movie has sexual references and situations, brief strong language, and many scenes of peril, suspense, and betrayal.
  • Families can talk about whether they believe in the supernatural, and what they might do if they felt a ghost had moved into their home. Some teens will be interested in finding out about the paranormal research facilities at Duke. Families could also talk about the way that all actions have consequences, on a psychological level, if not a supernatural one.
What to watch for
  • violence false4 Violence: Some lot of tension, characters in peril, scary surprises, discussions of murder.
  • sex false3 Sex: Sexual references and situations, references to adultery.
  • language false3 Language: Brief strong language.
  • consumerism false0 Consumerism: Not an issue
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false3 Drinking, drugs and smoking: Social drinking.
An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology. © Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

What Lies Beneath Movie Ratings + Reviews

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So-so See all critic reviews

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