I have seen my fair share of films—some have been exceptional, others less so, but very few have left me in a state of bewilderment. The last time I questioned my movie-watching choices was after watching Sandeep Vanga’s Animal, which led me to think, “Never again!”
But, as fate would have it, I found myself watching Gods of the Deep. A friend once told me to approach films I didn’t have high hopes for with an open mind, so, admitting my biases, I proceeded to watch this one. I have to admit, that horror films rarely show much depth, but this particular one is simply laughable.
Watching this was like decoding an ancient myth with missing pages (Photo: Gods Of The Deep/Dark Temple Motion Pictures)I’d like to think that this was the intention, though I am not entirely convinced. Gods of the Deep is a psychological sci-fi horror film that borrows inspiration from H.P. Lovecraft’s works, blending science fiction with supernatural horror elements.
The plot has all the hallmarks of an absurd adventure—an underwater civilization, a Cthulhu, a once-ordinary astrobiologist turned action hero, a clueless marine biologist, and a bizarrely obsessed elderly hipster who looks eerily like Adam Driver from that iconic SNL skit.
I watched this film without background knowledge, so I researched afterward. Unfortunately, even after that, the movie still makes no sense to me.
What Is A Cthulhu, Exactly?
Cthulhu, pronounced “Ku-tul-hu”, originates from the Lovecraftian universe. The being first appeared in H.P. Lovecraft’s short story The Call of Cthulhu. Cthulhu is usually depicted as a giant and foreboding creature, with the head of an octopus, dragon-like wings, and a humanoid body.
The creature rests dormant beneath the Pacific Ocean in the lost city of R’lyeh, which serves as the setting where the characters of the movie encounter and attempt to escape it.
In Lovecraft’s literature, Cthulhu is portrayed as an ancient god awaiting its return to power, symbolizing humanity’s insignificance in the face of incomprehensible cosmic forces.
It is a creature that evokes deep existential terror, representing mankind’s struggle with understanding its place in a vast and unfathomable universe.
What’s The Story About?
Jim Peters, an astrobiologist at Miskatonic University, is at the center of the story. Miskatonic University is famous in Lovecraft’s universe, specifically in the fictional city of Arkham. Jim’s father, a researcher like him, vanished during an expedition with the Pickman Corporation when Jim was a young boy.
This tragic event inspired Jim to write several books and theories about his father’s disappearance, eventually leading him to pursue a career in astrobiology. Jim is approached by Dr. Julia Goldstein, a representative of Pickman Corporation, who invites him to join a new expedition.
Initially hesitant, Jim is swayed when Julia shares the details of a remarkable discovery. The Pickman Corporation’s probes have found an artificial structure at the bottom of the Pacific-Antarctic ridge, which they believe might be a portal to another world.
According to Lovecraftian mythology, this gateway could lead to the ancient sunken city of R’lyeh, where Cthulhu slumbers.
Who Are The Other Members of The Expedition Team?
In addition to Jim, the expedition team includes Hank O’Connell, Pickman’s lead engineer; Joseph Meeker, the safety and communications officer; Christine Harris, a marine biologist of repute; and Gordon Atkins, the expedition leader.
Hank provides a basic overview of their mission, introducing the Providence 3, a submersible built to withstand the crushing pressures of 35,000 feet underwater.
When Christine expresses doubts about the expedition’s legitimacy, Jed Pickman, the head of Pickman Corporation, steps in with an impractical speech, even though it is being delivered to a team of pragmatic scientists. Nevertheless, Jed joins the team himself, assuring their commitment.
After agreeing to the mission, the team undergoes a two-month training program to prepare for the challenges of the expedition.
What Happens When Providence 3 Reaches The Seabed?
The team boards the submersible and heads to the coordinates of the ancient ruins, with only 20 hours of life support available. Jim’s role is to operate an underwater rover to collect samples from beyond the so-called ‘Portal’.
Though Jim is an astrobiologist, it seems his real purpose is to fulfill Jed’s wish to continue the work his father started. The submersible is reinforced with metal layers, but Jim’s rover appears to be nothing more than a fragile box of glass.
The filmmakers seem to have forgotten they are 35,000 feet underwater. As they reach the site and encounter the strange portal, its artificial nature suggests it was designed by an intelligent being rather than being a natural formation.
Once they enter the portal, the team experiences a malfunction that cuts off their communication with headquarters. After reconnecting, they discover that they’ve been missing for three hours, though it only felt like a few minutes to them.
As they descend further, the team uncovers the ruins of R’lyeh. Among the debris, they find the massive remains of a deep-sea creature, unlike anything known to the animal kingdom. Julia orders the team to collect a tissue sample from the creature.
Jim goes down in his rover to do so, but as soon as he collects the sample, the radar detects movement, prompting him to hurry back to the submersible.
How Does The Situation Begin To Escalate?
As the team goes through the ruins, Jed Pickman’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic. Meanwhile, the supposedly dead creature Jim sampled from comes to life, revealing itself to be Cthulhu. This sends the entire team into a panic.
In the chaos that follows, Christine accidentally falls into the pressure dock. Hank and Joseph manage to pull her out, though she appears to be lost. Miraculously, Jim revives her moments later, but tragedy strikes when Hank is trapped while trying to seal the flooded rooms, drowning.
Jed, who had been watching, shows a disturbing level of interest in the revived Cthulhu, and it becomes clear that he is moving towards worshiping the ancient being.
What Happens After Providence 3 Is Damaged?
With the Providence submersible now damaged, the team begins its ascent to the surface. However, Jed insists that Christine begin researching the tissue sample immediately. Upon discovering that the sample is still alive, Christine attempts to contain it by covering it with a white sheet.
As a bioscience major, I can’t help but think this is a ridiculous breach of standard lab procedures. Predictably, Jed finds his way into the lab, strips down, and rubs the Cthulhu slime all over his body.
There’s something more to this moment, though it makes me uncomfortable just thinking about it. Jed becomes fully possessed and kills Gordon.
What Is Joseph’s Secret?
Joseph, who was supposed to be the safety officer for the team, fails miserably when Christine is in danger and lets her slip into a life-threatening situation. It is then revealed that Joseph is a mercenary planted by Julia to ensure the extraction of the samples goes smoothly, disregarding Jed’s plans.
To this end, he even brought a submachine gun aboard the Providence 3. When things go wrong, he doesn’t hesitate to kill Gordon, who has also been possessed by Cthulhu. He later tries to kill both Jim and Christine when the submersible’s systems fail after Gordon destroys the console.
What Happens To Jim And Christine?
After a violent confrontation with Joseph that leaves him injured and later possessed by Cthulhu, Jim, who was previously just an astrobiologist, now finds himself fighting for survival, turning into something like Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo.
If you expected terror, what you’ll find instead is pure absurdity (Photo: Gods Of The Deep/Dark Temple Motion Pictures)Forced to make a difficult choice, Jim kills Joseph. Realizing the potential dangers of Pickman Corporation’s interest in the sample, Jim and Christine decide to destroy it. However, Jim sees a vision of his father, who warns him that the sub will implode if the door is opened and invites Jim to join him.
In a moment of self-sacrifice, Jim decides to stay behind and seal the pressure lock, saving Christine. In the final scenes of Gods of the Deep, Christine is rescued by Pickman Corporation just in time, having passed out from low oxygen levels.
She later wakes up in a hospital, where she confronts Julia Goldstein about the deaths of her team members. Christine accuses Pickman Corporation of deliberately putting the team in harm’s way.
As she speaks, she is suddenly struck with intense stomach pain, realizing that she has come into contact with Cthulhu’s slime aboard the sub. To her horror, the deity’s tentacles emerge from her stomach, and she contaminates Julia with the toxic blood.
A Horrific Lesson From The Tale of Cthulhu
This Lovecraftian story teaches us about the dangers of meddling with forces beyond human comprehension. The presence of Cthulhu highlights the terrifying truth that some things are simply too overwhelming for human minds to understand.
The influence of this ancient entity goes beyond just physical danger—it invades the characters’ minds, driving them into madness. Cthulhu does not adhere to the laws of our reality and exists in multiple dimensions, with its true form beyond the reach of human perception.
It is comparable to the myth of Icarus, who, driven by curiosity, flew too close to the sun and ignored its immense power, only to pay the price.
