“Under Paris” is a film in the action-thriller genre scheduled for release in 2024. The film is directed by Xavier Gens—famous for both horror and action films. This movie features an unusual creature feature concept. Rather than a tropical resort or open sea, imagine an apex predator lying in wait in one of the world’s most recognizable cities: Paris.
Approaching environmental concerns, and disaster and suspense tropes, Paris aims to achieve both thrill and thought-provoking commentary for the audience. However, the focus lies on the lashing repercussions of ignoring one’s environment, failing institutions, and the elusive nature, which here takes form of a gigantic menacing shark.
Plot Summary
Under Paris features Berenice Bejo who plays a marine biologist named Sophia Assalas. She is shown studying mako sharks in the ocean along with her husband and scientific team. Their research turns into a nightmare as they face the wrath of an enormous hyper aggressive shark named Lilith, resulting in the death of Sophia’s husband and colleagues. Even though she survives, she is left in utter psychological shambles.
Many years later, Sophia is in retirement in Paris, having seamlessly transitioned into an academic and advisory role with no intentions of pursuing fieldwork. She lives a quiet life, haunted by memories, or the trauma she wishes to forget, far removed from her past life. This changes when an environmental activist and satellite tracker of animal movements, Mika, approaches her with unbelievable proof that somewhere off of Lilith’s usual hunting grounds, a shark has inexplicably entered the Seine River in Paris.
Through collaboration, Mika and Sophia learn that the shark in question has traversed through environmental tunnel systems underwater thanks to the warming waters and ecological destruction. Alongside Adil, a reluctant but honorable officer from the River Police, the three women try to stop the shark from her planned intersection with the city as she prepares to capture midstreame during a televised triathlon.
But politics gets in the way. The triathlon gains immense hype after the competition is sensationalized, transforming it into the ‘the first-ever international triathlon,’ spearheaded by the Mayor of Paris garnering attention for the city. Now, amid all the public glitter and spotlight focused on the Seine, any attempt to dial back or abort the entire plan is deemed impossible. With the event day converging, crowds begin to stack, and oceanic Eleanor of Aquitaine themed boats line up. Desperately, Mika, Adil, and Sophia must avoide the disaster just in time.
Characters and Performances
Bérénice Bejo thoughtfully balances Sophia Assalas as a woman dealing with trauma and finding her strength in the face of ruin. Her transformation from a passive survivor to an active defender captures and sustains the viewer’s attention throughout the film.
Mika, portrayed by Léa Léviant, is the embodiment of youthful zeal and activism. Her character is more than a mere addition to the narrative; she stands for the younger generation’s frantic efforts to undo the ecological damage inflicted by previous generations and institutions.
The character Adil, portrayed by Nassim Lyes, operationalizes the film’s physicality. He begins as a skeptic, but transitions to becoming a nexus between the alarmist approach to the problem that Sophia and Mika present and the action-oriented solution-acknowledging the existence of a problem that he governed.
Bérénice Bejo, as the unnamed Mayor of Paris, represents petty bureaucratic inflexibility. Her character emerges as a source of dramatic conflict and critique when, against growing evidence of danger, she obstinately pursues the triathlon.
Under Paris Themes and Symbols:
- Ecological Awakening
The very essence of Under Paris possesses an unabashed environmental undertone. The presence of a shark in the Seine is neither arbitrary nor supernatural; it mirrors the realities of climate change, human interference with nature, and increasing water temperatures. Lilith is more than a mere ghastly creature—she embodies the monstrosity of indifference. The film transforms the world-renowned Seine River, often depicted as a pedestal of romance and beauty, into a frontline where nature retaliates.
- Redemptive Trauma
Sophia’s personal trajectory is crucial to the story. She starts as a shattered individual, her entire life decimated by an unfathomable creature. Resuming her role in the epicenter of the chaos is paradoxically audacious and heart-wrenching. Her past and ecological realities are fronted for redress if change is sought. This is the way forward, remedy, and restoration.
- Inversion of Governance
As is obvious in the film, failure to exercise authority is a recurring theme. The shark as a representation becomes an allegory of neglect, which has consequences for the rest of society when vitally important issues have neither been heeded nor taken into consideration. Illustrating the metaphor, the politically opinionated stance of the mayor dismisses each alleged “danger” as sensationalistic rhetoric—unironically epitomizing global despair over lack of decisive action against climate change.
- Urban Vulnerability
Choosing Paris, a city not typically linked to sharks or the dangers of the sea, sorely shatters the notion of safety within urban environments. The Seine, which flows through one of the most visited and filmed cities on earth, metamorphoses into a suffocating arena. The setting forces the viewers to grapple with the harsh truth that no civilization is safe from nature’s wrath.
Direction and Style
Under Paris is a film directed by Xavier Gens, and with it, he brings a metered rhythm to the film. Building of tension is slower as anticipation is used over jumpscares. A mix of underwater and aerial shots are captured beautifully during the film. A true feeling of dread is evoked during massive shark scenes where the creature is shown gliding through the dark, confined waters of the Seine.
Rather than overexposing the audience to the creature, the director shows great restraint, opting instead to hint at the great white’s presence through shadows, sonar blips, and sudden movement. The creature’s attacks, when they do come, are brutally swift, chaotic and grounded in a reality heightened by the actual world.
The final triathlon sequence is unequivocally breathtaking. As the athletes dive into the river unencumbered, the pull of gravity is ominous as danger waits just below. Chaos ensues as first responders come into action, and Sophia’s greatest fears come true. It is an instance in which visual and emotional satisfaction is felt all at once.
Reception and Impact
The cinematography did not impress critics, but the general public appreciated the film’s mounting tension, pacing, and themes juxtaposed with the story. The film has received both praise and backlash for its unique portrayal of a shark-thriller set in Europe alongside its ecological undertone. Others argue this was meant to be a cautionary tale that serves as a dire allegory on the dangers of apathy towards environmental issues.
What Under Paris does lack in creativity—many sequences will be relatable to followers of franchises like Jaws or The Meg— It makes up for in atmosphere, thematics, and an outstanding lead performance. The film’s distinctive premise stems from the unique identity resulting from an unexpected natural threat.
Conclusion
Under Paris evolves beyond a traditional monster flick. It is a pulse-racing thriller infused with a cautionary tale. The film artfully transforms the City of Light into decaying theater of survival in a deep, urgent story of accountability—all thanks to strong direction, fast-paced narrative, and well-developed themes. By framing the story around tangible issues such as climate change, political apathy, and human haughtiness, the movie achieves more than shallow entertainment; it provides both a spectacle and contemplative experience.
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