Black Water (2018) is a no-frills, old-school action thriller that brings together two of the most iconic names in the genre — Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren. Directed by Pasha Patriki, the film attempts to blend espionage, prison escape, and classic hand-to-hand combat into a tightly packed story set aboard a mysterious CIA black site... underwater. While the concept is intriguing, the execution struggles to rise above its B-movie formula.
Van Damme stars as Wheeler, a deep-cover CIA operative who wakes up imprisoned on a nuclear submarine used as an off-the-grid black site. Framed for leaking classified information and unsure who to trust, Wheeler must fight his way through layers of betrayal, hostile agents, and government corruption to clear his name and expose the truth.
Along the way, he teams up with another prisoner — the lethal yet unpredictable Marco (Dolph Lundgren), whose true intentions remain hidden until the final act. Together, they navigate claustrophobic corridors, dodging bullets and backstabbing bureaucrats in a fight for survival.
Jean-Claude Van Damme brings his signature stoicism and physicality to the role of Wheeler. While his days of spinning kicks and high-flying stunts are more restrained here, he still carries the screen with a quiet toughness that fans will appreciate.
Dolph Lundgren, though underused, adds charisma and unpredictability. His presence injects energy whenever he appears, though he’s absent for large chunks of the movie. The chemistry between Van Damme and Lundgren is serviceable, but the script gives them little time to truly build on their shared action legacy.
The supporting cast is largely forgettable, delivering wooden dialogue and generic villainy — typical of the genre, but lacking nuance.
Director Pasha Patriki, primarily known for his work in cinematography, delivers a decent visual effort considering the film’s modest budget. The setting aboard the submarine is an interesting and atmospheric choice, creating a sense of confinement and paranoia.
Unfortunately, the action scenes are hit-or-miss. While there are some solid hand-to-hand combat moments and shootouts, they often feel repetitive or under-choreographed. The film lacks the intensity and fluidity of Van Damme’s earlier work or Lundgren’s more recent roles in larger productions.
Black Water tries to delve into themes of betrayal, loyalty, and the consequences of covert operations gone wrong. However, these ideas are never fully developed. The story plays out more like a checklist of spy-thriller tropes — corrupt agents, hidden agendas, flash drives with dangerous secrets — without adding anything new to the conversation.
The tone is gritty but never quite immersive, and the dialogue often falls flat, filled with cliché one-liners and exposition-heavy exchanges.
Black Water is a modest, watchable action thriller that delivers just enough to satisfy die-hard fans of Van Damme and Lundgren. While it won’t win any awards for originality or depth, it offers a nostalgic glimpse into the kind of straight-to-video action flicks that once dominated the '90s.
For those who enjoy low-budget action with familiar faces and submarine shootouts, Black Water provides a short, punchy ride. Just don’t expect the high-stakes thrills or slick choreography of modern action cinema.
