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Something Beneath
Something Beneath
Something Beneath
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Something Beneath
DVD cover
Directed byDavid Winning
Written byMark Mullin
Ethlie Ann Vare
David Winning
Produced byPhyllis Laing
StarringKevin Sorbo
Natalie Brown
Brendan Beiser
CinematographyBrenton Spencer
Edited byMark Sanders
Music byMichael Richard Plowman
Production
companies
Distributed byTime Warner Cable
Release dates
  • April 26, 2007 (2007-04-26) (Houston Film Festival)
  • October 21, 2007 (2007-10-21) (Canada)
Running time
90 minutes[1]
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish

Something Beneath is a 2007 Canadian horror thriller film directed by David Winning and starring Kevin Sorbo, Natalie Brown and Brendan Beiser.[2] It is the fifth film in the Maneater film series.

Plot

[edit]

On the Cedar Gates Conference Center (CGCC) construction site, Dutch comes into contact with some black slime from the newly broken ground. He hallucinates that Bob (whose wife is sleeping with Dutch) and several others are chasing him down in bulldozers until he trips and is impaled on some exposed rebar— his death is attributed to drinking.

A year later, an ecological conference is being held at the newly opened CGCC, led by the Episcopalian priest Father Douglas Middleton. He meets CGCC manager Symes and event coordinator Khali Spence. Middleton's friend and keynote speaker Eugene Herman is practicing his speech in the woods nearby when he is pulled into a slime pit and suffocated by an unseen creature. The next day Middleton alerts Khali to his friend's disappearance, so CGCC Chief of Security Jackson Deadmarsh and her check Eugene's room. They find Reggie and Hank (maintenance men) searching for an undiscovered pipe blockage causing hotel-wide problems, but they have not seen Eugene. Deadmarsh and his assistant, Tony, explore the woods and eventually find Eugene's body, his face badly contorted and disfigured.

Meanwhile, Middleton searches elsewhere due to his troubled history with Deadmarsh and encounters Mikaela Strovsky, an entitled celebrity/model running after her dog, Cleopatra. She is covered in black slime and tells the hotel staff to find her dog so she can return to her room to clean up and record a vlog. While recording, she hallucinates an old, eyeless woman in her room's mirrors and eventually smashes them all, fatally cutting her wrists. Manuela, a housekeeping employee, finds Mikaela dead in her room, and her death is labeled a suicide. Symes forbids Khali from calling the police immediately, and she eventually comes in contact with some black slime herself. She hallucinates being chased by the dog that attacked her as a child, and she tries to use her grandmother's necklace for protection. Middleton wakes her from the hallucination, revealing the dog is only Cleopatra. A flashback reveals Khali's necklace was blessed with a prayer from the Ojibwe, her grandmother's people. Reggie and Hank enter the sewers under CGCC, where they find a massive growth of black slime that eats them both. Father Middleton and Khali encounter Dr. Connolly, now living in the woods and continuing his research into the slime. He believes it is a single organism with a hive mind, comparing it to an ant colony that had attacked when the building of the CGCC threatened its habitat, but this organism can reproduce at alarming rates.

Back at the hotel, Deadmarsh views the vlog that Mikaela was recording and saw a slime-covered creature crawl out of her bathtub as she's smashing the mirrors. He and Tony go into the sewers to look for Reggie and Hank. Symes is livid that all the guests of CGCC are evacuating themselves but begins hallucinating when he comes into contact with the slime. He follows Deadmarsh and Tony into the sewers and tries attacking them, but Tony shoots him. Tony and Deadmarsh are slimed by this point, and Tony hallucinates that Symes returns to life. Deadmarsh finds his body as Connolly, Middleton, and Khali enter the sewer and find him. Together, they find Reggie and Hank's bodies and discover the slime is starting to seal up all exits. Deadmarsh sacrifices himself so the others can escape, setting aflame the methane leaking out from the sewer walls after the others are behind a sealed metal door. They come across the creature's heart, including its mouth, and Connolly falls into it. Middleton saves Khali as she is about to fall in, and she uses her grandmother's necklace to calm the creature by reciting the Ojibwe prayer. They escape, and Middleton reconnects with Khali at the ambulance and confesses his hallucination was that Khali fell into the creature and died. He asks her to leave on his next mission, and she agrees; they kiss. Later, more slime emerges from a manhole.

Cast

[edit]
  • Kevin Sorbo as Father Douglas Middleton
  • Gordon Tanner as Symes, the manager of Cedar Gates Conference Center (CGCC)
  • Natalie Brown as Khali Spence, events coordinator for Cedar Gates Conference Center; her grandmother was Ojibwe, and she wears her necklace supposedly traditional Anishinaabe
  • Paige Bannister as Aimee, Khali's assistant
  • Peter MacNeill as Jackson Deadmarsh, CGCC Head of Security; was a former chief of police in Oregon but was involved in a scandal when Father Middleton sued him for the wrongful arrest and eventual execution of a young Native American man on false evidence
  • Blake Taylor as Reggie, head maintenance for CGCC
  • Tom Keenan as Hank, Reggie's assistant
  • Brittany Scobie as Mikaela Strovsky, a stuck-up celebrity/model attending the conference for the clout of being an environmentalist; "last month's cover of Vogue"
  • Frank Adamson as Lowell Kent, the property developer for Cedar Gates Conference Center, reliant on a wheelchair and on oxygen
  • Brendan Beiser as Dr. Connolly, a scientist who warns Kent of the dangers of building on the grounds
  • Brett Donahue as Tony, Deadmarsh's assistant
  • Rob McLaughlin as Eugene Herman, keynote speaker for the conference; severely asthmatic
  • Gene Pyrz as Jim Bailey
  • Tracey Nepinak as Khali's Grandmother
  • Aimee Cadorath as Young Khali
  • Kevin Aichele as Dutch, a construction worker and the first victim of the slime though his death is labeled an accident
  • Mike Bell as Construction Foreman
  • Brandon Doty as Backpacking Hippie
  • Lindsay Embroyle as Paramedic
  • David Stuart Evans as Clerk
  • Craig Matthews as Hard Hat
  • Kyle Nobess as Sheik Abdula
  • Thanya Romero as Manuela, a young housekeeping employee for CGCC
  • Tanakh as Ajax
  • Karl Thordarson as Mr. Briggs
  • Julia Van de Spiegle as Woman in the Mirror (from Mikaela's hallucination)
  • David Winning as Beast in the Woods / Angry Arab guest / TV-announcer

Production

[edit]

The movie was filmed in Winnipeg, Manitoba in November 2006.[3] In a 2007 FearNet interview, Sorbo described it as "sort of a flip back to the '50s creature films."[4]

Release

[edit]

The film premiered on 26 April 2007 as part of the Houston Film Festival and was then a feature of the Rhode Island International Film Festival on 11 August 2007.[5]

Home media

[edit]

The film was released on DVD by RHI Entertainment on 9 September 2008 and produced for television originally by Genius Entertainment.[1][6]

It was released on DVD in Germany on 25 February 2010, under the title "Endstation: Angriff aus dem Untergrund".[7]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Something Beneath

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Something Beneath is a 2007 Canadian made-for-television horror directed by David Winning. Starring as an environmentalist priest and Natalie Brown as a conference coordinator, the story centers on an ecological summit at a newly built where a mysterious, intelligent black slime emerges from the plumbing, infecting attendees and causing deadly hallucinations tied to past tragedies. The film blends elements of and creature horror, portraying the slime as a primeval preying on the participants. Produced by RHI Entertainment and aired on the Sci Fi Channel on April 26, 2007, Something Beneath was filmed primarily in , , with exterior shots in the Canadian Rockies, and features a runtime of approximately 90 minutes. Key supporting cast includes Brendan Beiser and , with the screenplay written by Mark Mullin and Ethlie Ann Vare. The narrative explores themes of environmental negligence and hidden dangers beneath modern developments, as the protagonists uncover the source of the threat linked to the site's contaminated history. Upon release, the film received mixed to negative reviews, praised for its premise but criticized for low-budget effects and pacing issues. It holds an average rating of 3.6 out of 10 on based on over 1,000 user votes and a 7% approval score on from 36 critics.

Narrative Elements

Plot

Something Beneath centers on an ecological summit held at a newly constructed conference center in a remote mountain area, where environmental activists and experts gather to address pressing global issues. , organized to promote and planetary harmony, quickly turns chaotic when a mysterious black slime starts seeping from the systems throughout the facility. This viscous substance induces vivid hallucinations among the attendees, forcing them to relive traumatic past tragedies in disorienting and terrifying visions. The event coordinator spearheads the initial investigation into these bizarre occurrences, methodically examining the slime's spread and its unsettling effects on the group. As reports of anomalies mount, an environmental activist priest discerns a deeper, possibly malevolent force at play and teams up with the coordinator to confront the growing peril. What begins as isolated incidents escalates into a series of harrowing deaths, heightening the sense of dread and isolation within the confined summit venue. The core tension revolves around the participants' desperate efforts to uncover the slime's origin amid the mounting chaos, culminating in a perilous into the sewers below the center to confront the sentient entity driving the horror.

Cast

The principal cast of Something Beneath () includes several actors known for genre work, portraying characters central to the film's horror-thriller narrative involving a sentient slime threat at an ecological . Kevin Sorbo stars as Father Douglas Middleton, an environmentalist priest who confronts the threat posed by the mysterious entity. His role draws on Sorbo's experience in action-fantasy, adapting the of a faith-driven to investigate otherworldly horrors in a modern setting. Natalie plays Khali Spence, the event coordinator responsible for managing the summit and handling the initial encounters with the slime. Brown's performance emphasizes the character's resourcefulness amid escalating terror, blending logistical crisis management with survival instincts typical of thriller protagonists. Peter MacNeill portrays Deadmarsh, the head of security tasked with addressing practical threats during the chaos. In the horror-thriller context, his role provides a grounded to the , focusing on and evacuation efforts. Brendan Beiser appears as Dr. Connolly, a dedicated to analyzing the slime's anomalous properties. Beiser's depiction highlights the character's analytical drive, contributing scientific exposition to the film's blend of and dread. Supporting roles enhance the ensemble dynamic, including Frank Adamson as Lowell Kent, a whose involvement underscores the working-class perspective on the unfolding . These characters collectively build tension through interpersonal conflicts and collaborative responses, amplifying the genre's themes of isolation and peril in a confined environment.

Production

Development

Something Beneath was developed as the fifth entry in RHI Entertainment's Maneater series of made-for-television natural horror films. The series drew inspiration from , updating classic monster tropes with contemporary ecological and elements in low-budget productions. The was penned by Mark Mullin and Ethlie Ann Vare, focusing on an environmental horror narrative set during an ecological summit where a mysterious entity emerges from beneath the earth, intertwining horror with themes of environmental vulnerability and human impact on . Director David Winning envisioned the project as a playful homage to B-movie , blending nostalgic monster elements with modern twists while embracing the constraints of quick production schedules. Casting announcements highlighted in the lead role of Father Douglas Middleton, an unconventional priest leading the conference; Sorbo described the film as a challenging yet enjoyable diversion into horror, noting the script's potential despite tight timelines and cold shoots. Winning echoed this sentiment, calling the collaboration a "fun" low-stakes endeavor amid the series' rapid development pace, which culminated in beginning in November 2006.

Filming

Principal photography for Something Beneath commenced in November 2006 in , , . The production team employed local facilities and sets in to represent the film's conference center and sewer environments, with exterior shots filmed in the Canadian Rockies. Filming occurred under challenging cold weather conditions, as noted by lead actor , who described the experience as particularly frigid during the shoot. Sorbo further commented on the tight schedule, stating that the team lacked sufficient time to film properly, a constraint typical of the TV movie's limited budget; however, he credited director David Winning with doing a great job to salvage the material despite these limitations.

Release

Premiere

The world premiere of Something Beneath took place at the 40th WorldFest-Houston International on April 26, 2007, where it was screened as part of the event's lineup of independent films. The film received an additional screening at the International Film Festival on August 11, 2007, further exposing it to festival audiences focused on independent cinema. Its television debut occurred on the Sci Fi Channel (now ) in the United States and on October 21, 2007, marking its broader accessibility to horror and sci-fi viewers. As the fifth installment in the Maneater Series of creature-feature originals produced for the Sci Fi Channel, Something Beneath was initially marketed to emphasize its horror elements, including a sentient slime threatening conference attendees, to appeal to the network's audience seeking thrilling, low-budget monster tales.

Home media

The film was released on DVD in Region 1 by RHI Entertainment and on September 9, 2008, presented in an 1.78:1 with 2.0 stereo audio. An international edition followed in Germany on March 11, 2010, titled Endstation – Angriff aus dem Untergrund, featuring the original English audio track with German subtitles. During the 2010s, Something Beneath became available for streaming on in select regions. As of November 2025, the film remains available for streaming on in select regions. By 2024, unauthorized full versions of the film were freely accessible via uploads on . The Region 1 DVD contains no special features, such as behind-the-scenes footage or interviews.

Reception

Critical reception

Something Beneath received overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics, earning an aggregated score of 7% on based on 36 reviews, with many pointing to the film's low-budget as a primary shortcoming that undermined its horror elements. In a 2008 review, Paul Mavis described the film as a "mucky mess," criticizing its schlocky horror tropes, such as the unconvincing sewer-dwelling slime monster and lack of genuine thrills, though he noted the central premise of hallucinogenic ooze leading to suicides held some initial entertainment value before devolving into nonsensical exposition. Genre outlets offered slightly more tempered responses, with Dread Central's 2008 review praising the inventive concept of a oil-like substance that induces hallucinations but faulting Sorbo's miscast performance as a and the uneven pacing that mixed serious tones with cheesy stereotypes, ultimately rating it 2.5 out of 5 skulls as a mildly enjoyable B-movie. Similarly, The Horror Review in 2015 acknowledged the film's homage to 1950s like The Blob through its ooze-based antagonist, but critiqued the integration of environmental themes—set against an ecological conference—as overshadowed by generic sci-fi horror clichés and limited , deeming it bearable yet far from a standout in the low-budget genre.

Audience reception

_Audience reception for Something Beneath has been generally lukewarm among viewers, reflecting its status as a low-budget original. On , the film holds a user rating of 3.6 out of 10, based on 1,028 votes. Reviewers frequently highlight the cheesy special effects and the monster's ridiculous design, while praising Kevin Sorbo's charismatic performance as a redeeming factor. On , it averages 2.7 out of 5 from 266 ratings, where users often describe it as enjoyable guilty-pleasure fare typical of Syfy's , appreciating its campy premise despite flaws in acting and production values. The movie has seen renewed interest through 2020s streaming availability on platforms like , Plex, and , leading to spikes in views, including over 760,000 on a free upload since 2022. While it received no major awards or nominations, by 2025, Something Beneath has cultivated a minor in B-movie enthusiast communities, appearing in curated lists of campy sci-fi horror.

References

  1. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0896040/
  2. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/something_beneath
  3. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0896040/fullcredits/
  4. https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/64806-something-beneath
  5. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0896040/plotsummary/
  6. https://www.letterboxd.com/film/something-beneath/
  7. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/something_beneath/cast-and-crew
  8. https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/34477
  9. https://www.themoviedb.org/collection/1021155-maneater-collection
  10. https://archive.org/stream/Rue_Morgue_094_Halloween_2009/Rue_Morgue_094_Halloween_2009_djvu.txt
  11. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0896040/plotsummary
  12. https://sorbowriter.wordpress.com/interview-with-david-winning/
  13. https://www.thescifiworld.net/interviews/kevin_sorbo_01.htm
  14. https://www.filmfestivals.com/image/40th_worldfest_houston_april_20_29_2007_initial_film_selections
  15. https://filmboards.com/t/Something-Beneath/Worldfest-Houston-4%252F26%252F07-823566/
  16. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0896040/releaseinfo/
  17. https://www.scifi-movies.com/en/short/0000535/something-beneath-2007/
  18. https://www.sbs.is/series/maneater/
  19. https://bloody-disgusting.com/news/13383/bdtv-something-beneath-trailer-and-dvd-details/
  20. https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Endstation-Angriff-aus-dem-Untergrund/dp/B0031MC3B8
  21. https://www.netflix.com/title/70101289
  22. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFfd4OWZt_U
  23. https://www.dreadcentral.com/reviews/5225/something-beneath-dvd/
  24. https://www.horrorreview.com/something-beneath/
  25. https://letterboxd.com/film/something-beneath/
  26. https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/something-beneath
  27. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sxc54TpZAVc
  28. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0896040/awards
  29. https://www.imdb.com/list/ls072830619/
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