Shark week has finished for the year, this season of Game of Thrones has come to an end so what do you do with your screen time? You’ve piled up on the best scuba diving magazines but are looking for something different.
When the water’s too cold, and you’ve finished all of those thrilling scuba dive books, what better way to relax than getting into a great movie!? And when we say a movie, what we really mean is a movie about scuba diving or one ocean-related of course!
Table of Contents
30 Best Scuba Dive Movies of All Time
We have been thrilled, chilled, and inspired by the dive movies available within these best dive films and we couldn’t wait to share them with you. From golden oldies, documentary movies about diving, to the latest blockbusters, here is a list of the best scuba diving movies, marine life, and the ocean!
For your reference, we have also added in the ratings given by IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes! So put your feet up, grab some popcorn, and indulge in the ultimate ocean-themed binge!
1. The Cove (2009)
8.5 IMDB / 94% Rotten Tomatoes
Number one of our reviews of the best diving films is The Cove. Using state-of-the-art equipment, a group of activists, led by renowned dolphin trainer Ric O’Barry, infiltrate a cove near Taijii, Japan. Their aim in this part action-adventure thriller, part documentary is to expose both a shocking instance of animal abuse and a serious threat to human health.
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Directed by Louie Psihoyos, this is one of the best scuba movies winning the 2009 Oscar for best documentary, The Cove is known to possibly turn viewers away due to some gruesome footage of slaughtered dolphins. It’s a hard watch which will shock viewers, but also necessary to see.
2. Finding Nemo (2003)
8.1 IMDB / 99% Rotten Tomatoes
If you don’t like Finding Nemo… Who am I kidding?! Everyone loves Finding Nemo! that is why this might be one that you already have on DVD or Video, so you can watch for free. But, if you haven’t seen it then you should buy it now! Although this is not really a dive film it is definitely one with the ocean and this Pixar filmmaker animation release is responsible for Clownfish becoming the most recognized sea creature on the planet!
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Watch a father’s quest to rescue his son from a dentist’s aquarium miles away from home. Starring some underwater favorites, jellyfish, sea turtles, a great white, and anglerfish! It’s all-around perfect entertainment for the whole family and is one of the best for improving your fish ID skills!
3. Blackfish (2013)
8.1 IMDB / 98% Rotten Tomatoes
Another documentary following the controversial captivity of killer whales. This dive in movie documentary also highlights the dangers for both humans and whales.
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Based on the notorious killer whale, Tilikum, who was responsible for the deaths of three individuals, including a top professional killer whale trainer. Blackfish shows the consequences that can and have happened of keeping such intelligent and sentient creatures in captivity. This is also available on DVD format.
4. Jaws (1975)
8 IMDB / 97% Rotten Tomatoes
And here we are. Steven Spielberg’s classic thriller. You can’t talk about ocean-related films and not mention Jaws. Although known to be one of the scariest films of all time, this changed the perception of sharks for people all over the world. This is the main reason why sharks have a bad reputation as a vicious man-killers.
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If you haven’t seen it, Jaws is based on a local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer who team up to hunt down a great white shark that is wreaking havoc in a beach resort. Not only was the original one of the best ever made, but it is also arguably one of the best motion pictures available of all time, well worth a watch.
5. The Abyss (1989)
7.6 IMDB / 89% Rotten Tomatoes
Before his fortune was made with Titanic, James Cameron gave us all a vision of deep-sea diving and aliens! Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio star in this film about a civilian diving team that is recruited by the military to find a lost nuclear submarine. If you are into deep sea diving movies, then this is perfect for you!
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If the old special effects don’t get you jumping off your seat, the scuba diving might! This film will leave you gasping for air, especially during the scene where Harris is forced to inhale an oxygenated fluid in order to dive at extreme depths. During the frequent underwater filming, Harris did reportedly have a few close calls, when he actually ran out of air.
He has frequently quoted with this final thought on the film: “I’m not talking about The Abyss and I never will.” Definitely one of the dive in movies to watch.
6. The Big Blue (1988)
7.6 IMDB / 62% Rotten Tomatoes
“Le Grand Bleu” as the release was in Europe, stars Jean Reno and Jean-Marc Barr, who play lifelong friends that grew up to be free diving rivals in the Mediterranean Sea.
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This movie was a big hit overseas and still maintains a cult status as one of the best diving movies amongst the dive community. Some sharp-eyed diving fans may notice that the underwater shots with the dolphins were actually filmed in the Virgin Islands.
7. Finding Dory (2016)
7.3 IMDB / 94% Rotten Tomatoes
It might not be truly a scuba diver movie, but we do all love these wonderful sea creatures. Its the sequel, from the filmmaker PIXEL to the world loved Finding Nemo, mentioned earlier, comes Finding Dory. This is a wonderful family choice based around the friendly but forgetful blue tang fish, Dory.
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Dory decides to begin a search for her long-lost parents, which can prove to be difficult when you forget everything every five minutes! This film helps everyone learn a few things about the real meaning of family, and we love it so go on dive in its worth a good viewing!
8. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)
7.3 IMDB / 56% Rotten Tomatoes
It might not be everyone’s favorite Bill Murray film but people will still love this dark tale based on the fictional oceanographer, Steve Zissou.
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The film itself was dedicated to Jacques-Yves Cousteau, the French naval officer, explorer, conservationist, filmmaker and researcher who studied the sea and all forms of life in water. We love the fact that Bill Murray was so dedicated to his role in this that he became a certified diver, logging over 40 hours before the production even began! Go Bill!
9. Men of Honor (2000)
7.2 IMDB / 42% Rotten Tomatoes
This release tells us the story of Carl Brashear, the first African-American U.S. Navy Diver, and the man who trained him.
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Starring Oscar-winning Cuba Gooding Jr as Carl and Robert De Niro as his instructor. Brashear overcomes the racism of the 1940s and his incomplete education to achieve his goal of becoming an operational diver in the Navy – awesome viewing.
10. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
7.2 IMDB / 89% Rotten Tomatoes
A golden oldie that you might have seen on video, DVD or even on TV, and this has actually been remade a few times over the years, but the original filmmaker was Walt Disney and is still awe-inspiring decades later, with good reviews on both IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes and is now available on Blu-ray.
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An old story by Jules Vern but definitely a timeless one. All about a ship sent to investigate a wave of mysterious sinkings by the advanced submarine, the Nautilus, commanded by Captain Nemo.
11. Thunderball (1965)
7 IMDB / 86% Rotten Tomatoes
Most Bond, James Bond films have an awesome dive the movie shows in it, but Thunderball has to be at the top of the list out of them all.
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The legendary Sean Connery goes shark diving in the Bahamas, where tough clear plastic panels were put in place to separate the actor from the sharks. According to IMDB, Connery got much closer to the real sharks than he wanted, when they found their way around and over the panels to say hello to him!
12. Road to Bali (1953)
6.8 IMDB / 60% Rotten Tomatoes
As we promised – a golden oldie! This brings Bing Crosby and Bob Hope together in an all dancing, all singing performance.
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The two men escape marriage by moving to an island where they happen to fall in love with a beautiful princess, as you do… The one-liners and song and dance numbers will have you wiggling in your seat and will take you back to this golden era!
13. For Your Eyes Only (1981)
6.8 IMDB / 72% Rotten Tomatoes
I have heard more than a few times that “For your Eyes Only, is the reason I got into scuba diving” and it seems to be that way for a lot of people! Roger Moore stars as James Bond with some epic diving scenes.
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Most of the close-up scenes between Moore and his co-stars in this were actually filmed on a soundstage where special effects were added later to give the impression that water was moving around them! But don’t worry, there are plenty of scenes filmed underwater in Greece and the Bahamas for some great diving footage.
14. The Frogmen (1951)
6.6 IMDB / Unknown Rotten Tomatoes
Frogmen aren’t some weird looking science-fiction monsters, but a nickname which was given to US Navy underwater demolition teams during World War II.
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So if you’re into old war films and diving this is perfect for you! This is all about a new commander of the Frogmen who must earn the respect of the men in his unit, although they don’t seem too keen on him!
15. The Meg (2018)
6.5 IMDB / 50% Rotten Tomatoes
After escaping an attack by what he claims was a 70-foot shark, Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham) must confront his fears to save those trapped in a sunken submersible.
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Could the Carcharodon Megalodon – the largest marine predator that ever existed – still be alive … and on the hunt… You’ll have to watch this awesome new release to find out!!
16. Amsterdamned (1988)
6.5 IMDB / Unknown Rotten Tomatoes
The name might just give it away, as this is based on the canals of Amsterdam! It’s all about a scuba diver who is hiding under the surface of Amsterdam’s canal system and comes across some gruesome murders.
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If you’re a fan of detective films and of course scuba diving, this would be a good pick for you! The city’s top detective only has a few clues to work with, but his wife and daughter may be closer to finding the mysterious underwater killer than he would like…
17. The Shallows (2016)
6.3 IMDB / 12% Rotten Tomatoes
Just a mere 200 yards away from the shore and safety, surfer Nancy (Blake Lively), is attacked by a great white shark! We share her suspense in this as she starts to make her short journey to safety which becomes the ultimate contest of wills!
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Drama, horror, thriller, and sharks! What more could you ask for a dive movie night with friends?!
18. The Deep (1977)
6.2 IMDB / 33% Rotten Tomatoes
This scuba dive movie masterpiece is based on a novel by Peter Benchley. This is about a couple who are on vacation in Bermuda, whilst enjoying a wreck dive they stumble across some rather mysterious artifacts that pits them against a drug dealer.
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Sources from IMDB have said that for the production shoot of this particular film it required 8,895 dives, 10,870 hours underwater, and 1 million cubic feet of compressed air!
19. Sphere (1998)
6.1 IMDB / 12% Rotten Tomatoes
In this, a group of civilian experts are recruited for a secret mission to investigate an alleged alien ship found deep on the ocean floor.
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Although it has received a poor Rotten Tomatoes rating, we still can’t help giggle at the scene where Hoffman and his team breathe helium and talk in Wizard of Oz voices before their descent! Maybe one for enjoying with friends.
20. Lady in Cement (1968)
5.9 IMDB / 50% Rotten Tomatoes
Who doesn’t love a Frank Sinatra movie?! He is so cool, and so is this dive movie! During an ocean dive, Tony Rome finds a woman’s body with its feet encased in a concrete block and sets out to solve the murder case.
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Comedy, crime, drama, and scuba diving! They just don’t make them like they used to…available on DVD and VHS tape.
21. Sanctum (2011)
5.9 IMDB / 30% Rotten Tomatoes
Loosely based on a real-life experience, Sanctum is one of the cave diving movies like no other. An underwater cave diving team experiences a life-threatening crisis during an expedition to the unexplored and least accessible cave system in the world when the way out is blocked by a tropical storm.
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Although tense, cushion hugging, and very claustrophobic, it’s a good thriller to watch with friends!
22. Underwater (2020)
5.8 IMDB / 48% Rotten Tomatoes
If you are into action-horror sci-fi films, then you have to check out Underwater from director William Eubank. The film focuses on a crew of oceanic researchers who are working for a deep-sea drilling company.
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This ocean movie will honestly have you holding your breath for air, as they have to try and get to safety after a mysterious earthquake absolutely devastates their deepwater research and drilling facility.
23. Into the Blue (2005)
5.8 IMDB / 21% Rotten Tomatoes
Now, this isn’t just popular because it features the beautiful Jessica Alba in a bikini, and the gorgeous Paul Walker, oh no, Into The Blue is all about a group of divers who manage to get themselves into some deep trouble with a drug lord.
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Moral of this story, if you stumble across a wrecked plane full of cocaine, the thing to do, is alert the authorities. Films like into the blue just aren’t seen around anymore.
24. Deep Blue Sea (1999)
5.8 IMDB / 56% Rotten Tomatoes
Ahh… Another shark film. But these aren’t just ordinary sharks! This is all about Samuel L. Jackson vs genetically modified intelligent sharks.
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Set in an isolated research facility, this location soon becomes a hunting ground for these super sharks as they try to escape to the open ocean. This big-budget film contains a variety of unexpected deaths, some Jaws-style shark explosions and randomly rapper turned actor LL Cool J! A good film packed with awesomeness and definitely worth watching.
25. Beneath the 12 Mile Reef (1953)
5.8 IMDB / Unknown Rotten Tomatoes
Another golden oldie, Robert Wagner and Terry Moore star in one of the first full-color underwater motion pictures the filmmaker made. This is where things started!
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The story in this is based on the fierce competition between sponge fishermen forces who fish in the dangerous 12-mile reef area off the western coast of Florida. There are severe clashes between the family businesses and things get heated when Tony Petrakis character falls in love with the rival family’s daughter!
26. The Reef (2010)
5.8 IMDB / 79% Rotten Tomatoes
We love a film with great white sharks! But this could make you think twice about taking that next diving tour trip!
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Based on a great white shark that hunts the crew of a capsized sailboat, the film is based on the true story of two scuba divers who were accidentally stranded in shark-infested waters after their tour boat left them there! Grab hold of your buddy with this one! A good choice for a film night in with friends.
27. Leviathan (1989)
5.8 IMDB / 17% Rotten Tomatoes
An epic eighties dive sort of film! This film was made just a couple of years after The Abyss. Created by an accomplished crew, it’s kind of different but funny!
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Peter Weller is in command of a group of undersea miners who come across a Russian shipwreck which is hiding a terrifying secret. And by terrifying we mean a monster! This has every eighties cliché in abundance, a must-see time waste film with friends!
28. Open Water (2007)
5.7 IMDB / 72% Rotten Tomatoes
We think this small independent dive film came out of nowhere solely with the idea to scare any potential scuba diver!
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It’s based on a couple who are enjoying a holiday in the Caribbean and decide to go scuba diving, but get left behind after their tour boat accidentally leaves them! We maybe wouldn’t recommend this film for new divers but it’s worth checking out!
29. Fool’s Gold (2008)
5.7 IMDB / 11% Rotten Tomatoes
If you like films like Into The Blue, we think you’d like this movie too. Gold and scuba diving, what makes a better combination than that for a scuba diving movie? Treasure hunter and deep-sea diver, Matthew McConaughey gets to rekindle his relationship with the beautiful Kate Hudson all whilst on a quest to find a Spanish trip full of treasure.
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We wouldn’t call this the best diving etiquette, but it does have some exciting scenes and is surprisingly charming and funny. A good film for family entertainment.
30. Oceans of Fire (1986)
5.3 IMDB / Unknown Rotten Tomatoes
Last but not least on our list is one that stars David Carradine and Billy Dee Williams so it can only be a good thing! The movie about deep-sea diving has 6 men with nothing to lose, but their lives who are all taken from prison in order to become deep-sea divers.
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Containing lots of 80s cheesiness along with some awesome scenes, this is a movie that will consume you for a whole 92 minutes!
Conclusion of the Best Dive Movies
There you have it. Our list of the most recommended, seat jerking, breath-holding, scuba diving, or ocean-related films for you to binge on when you aren’t getting those dive fins wet! Let us know your favorites in the comments below!
Here are the 3 most popular Scuba Dive movies picks to recap the list;
- Documentary, Crime
- 8.4 IMDB Rating
- Oscar Winning
- Starring Ric O'Barry, Dolphin Trainer
- Top Rated Movie
- 8.1 IMDB Rating
- Oscar Winning
- Animation, Comedy, Adventure
- Documentary, News
- 8.1 IMDB Rating
- Interesting Story
- Satellite Award for Best Documentary Film
6 comments
Wow, this really is the ultimate list of best diving movies! Can’t wait to binge through them all
Some classic dive movies on here. I loved for your eyes only.
Diving movies are the best kind of movies!
Finding Nemo!!! My all-time favorite movie.
Awesome list! Not only am I a scuba enthusiast, but also a movie buff Can’t wait to work through these diving movies.
A movie often overlooked for its scuba diving scenes is Creature From the Black Lagoon. It has some early, but outstanding dive sequences, with most of the action filmed in Wakulla Springs, Florida.