July 27, 2026 (NYC)–   Jesse V. Johnson Dives into New Waters in “Above & Below”.  A Look at Above & Below, the new action thriller by filmmaker Jesse V. Johnson.  Above & Below will be available in theaters on July 29, 2026.

Above & Below is an action crime movie set at sea, where elements of drug trafficking, a summer vacation, and shark infested waters all intersect for an engaging and well paced thriller.

The film follows a group of young people on vacation when one’s gambling problem causes him to cross paths with a ruthless gangster, played by Antonio Banderas.  In the aftermath of a high stakes poker game the group find themselves on, what they think, is merely a shark cage diving experience.   It turns out to be much more.

When they discover their host’s secret the group ends up fighting for their lives as they walk the tightrope between a group of psychotic bandits and a team of bloodthirsty sharks.

The film’s cast is strong.   Banderas plays a convincing gangster.  He manages to balance charm and lethality well in this one.   Laura Marana does a solid job in the lead here.  She is likable and capable and holds her own against the more dynamic members of the cast.

Louis Mandylor,  never disappoints.   He is a solid screen presence and there is a synergistic effect when he is together with Jesse Johnson.   His performance in the Debt Collectors movies are as enjoyable and exciting to watch as anything in modern comedic action.   He is highly watchable in Above & Below as a short fused psycho henchman.  Every scene with him is, as always, fun to watch.

For me, Timothy V. Murphy gives the best performance of the film.  He provides elements of sanity and humanity in a strong masculine character that transcends the role of fishing boat captain.  He is really good here.

“Johnson’s Directing is always solid, and this is no exception. He is a great storyteller, and one of the most under appreciated Directors of our time.”  I stand by this notion.   Johnson’s ability to traverse the boundaries of actions and drama, while constantly experimenting with new elements is impressive.  He is not lazy, and he does not rely solely on the perpetuation of elements that were successful in prior films to approach a new work.  He is always evolving.  Above & Below is no exception.  The film manages to do something that I can not recall in any prior Johnson films, and that is, make heroes out of people that are seemingly normal, well adjusted characters.   His normal fare is the grizzled, somewhat beaten down, anti- hero.   This is part of what makes his films so interesting to watch-normal is usually code for boring.   That is not the case here.   The strong, resourceful, intelligent women of this film are fun to watch and route for, and they do not suffer from the deadly disease of banality. Laura Marana and Christina Ochoa carry their weight effectively here.

The action is gritty and the tension throughout is palpable.  The movie is well filmed and well edited.  Everyone loves a good shark movie, when it is well done.   This one is not, exactly, a shark movie but they figure well into the story and the filmmaking.

The film is a worthwhile endeavor and I highly recommend it.  At its core it has good storytelling, great action, acting, and Direction.

–review by Master Marc Zirogiannis