Nine Miles Down

Lore & Background

The film follows Thomas 'Jack' Jackmann, an ex-policeman turned security inspector for GNE energy, who arrives at the Jevel Afra Drill site in the Central Sahara Desert during a sandstorm. The facility's 25 staff, led by Professor Borman, have been missing for days. Jack finds the site abandoned with signs of struggle, cryptic Arabic messages in blood, and a ritually sacrificed jackal. He investigates video recordings and learns that Borman had been drilling to investigate an air pocket nine miles below the surface, and the scientists began exhibiting paranoia. Jack experiences hallucinations and meets Dr. Jenny 'JC' Christensen, the lone remaining scientist, who explains that the crew heard screams from the cavity and began hallucinating dead loved ones, becoming violent.

Reader's Guide

Nine Miles Down is significant as the final feature film credit for writer Everett de Roche, and for its direct adaptation of the Well to Hell urban legend that spread widely in the 1990s. The film explores themes of paranoia, trauma, and the blurring of reality and imagination, driven by toxic gas released from the underground cavity. Its international co-production status and casting discussions involving Val Kilmer in 2002 highlight its development history. The film received a positive review from Mark L. Miller of Ain't It Cool News, who called it 'a devilishly pleasant surprise.' Its legacy lies in its contribution to the horror genre's use of urban legends and psychological horror.

Did You Know?

• Val Kilmer was in talks to star in the film in May 2002.
• Production ended in May 2008.
• The film is based on the Well to Hell urban legend, which spread mostly in the 1990s.
• It was the last feature film credit for writer Everett de Roche.