Looking disturbingly similar to the so-so ‘Ghost Ship’, I wasn’t sure what
to expect from this film which has suffered a post-production fate as
scary as the one the characters endure in the movie.
First announced in , it sat on the shelf for at least a year before
receiving a limited release last year stateside, and despite good reviews
has gone the striaght to video route in the rest of the world.
Matt Davis, Bruce Greenwood and co, star as the crew of a WWII submarine
that rescues survivors from a hospital ship that has been attacked,
including ‘The Sixth Sense’ star Olivia Williams and the UK’s very own
Dexter ‘Press Gang’ Fletcher.
At first, tensions are rife as things begin to go wrong for the
superstitious crew, who believe that the female presence is to blame for
their misfortune. However it soon becomes apparent that something else is
the cause.
‘Pitch Black’ Director David Twohy creates a very eerie atmosphere onboard
the creaking, claustrophobic submarine, which helps the cast give very
credible performances amongst the many wide and varied scary set pieces.
However the best thing about the film is it’s very good story, which hides
a very dark secret and allows for some wonderful use of imagery.
The film concludes very nicely and left me wondering why it didn’t receive
the release that it deserved, as it is a far better and entertaining film
than some of the trash that gets a theatrical release these days!!
I think it’s a shame that studio’s don’t know how to market a film unless
it’s full of T&A or gross-out material.
OVERALL SUMMARY
A solid script and cast make for a beautifully shot and atmospheric film
from a very competent director. A horror movie for the thinking man. And
I also loved the little visual nod to ‘Pitch Black’.
