Dead Sea
Black Lagoon

USA 2014
produced by
Brandon Slagle, Britt Griffith (executive), Liz Cuppie (executive), Niko Foster (executive), Brian T. Jaynes (executive) for Dead Sea Films, Micro Bay Features
directed by Brandon Slagle
starring Britt Griffith, Alexis Iacono, Jw Wiseman, Devanny Pinn, Brandon Slagle, Chanel Ryan, James Duval, Candance Kita, Jennifer Woods, Dillon Paigen, Tawny Amber Young, Frederic Doss, K.J. McCormick, Teresa Parker, Ryan Kiser, Mel Turner, J.T. Griffith, Zane Balogh, Adrian Quihuis, David Dossett, Jonathan Williams, Rileigh Griffith, Tyler Griffith, Holly Griffith, Richard Hollien, Jim Mitchell, Brandyn T. Williams, Michael Sciabarrasi
written by Brandon Slagle, music by John Roome, E. Rex, songs by Brian Stiroh, Josh Woodward, The Ground Above, NOYA, Will Nevins/Dark Hour, Sekshun 8, Raven Quinn, special effects makeup by Adrian Marcato, creature effects design: Adrian Marcato, Phil Nichols, Melissa L. Nichols, visual effects by Reno Williams

review by
Mike Haberfelner

Available on DVD! To buy, click on link(s) below and help keep this site afloat (commissions earned)   CLICK HERE to buy from Always make sure of DVD-compatibility!!!

Kier (Brandon Slagle) has been traumatized ever since he has seen his father (Ryan Kiser) go into the sea and die from causes unknown but out of his own free will 30 years ago. He has since served in Afghanistan, where he was among the most violent soldiers out there - and has returned with a serious case of PTSD. What's more, he's as dangerous as he was back in Afghanistan.

Auriel (Devanny Pinn) lives in the same insignificant coastal town as Kier, but she wants nothing more than to get out of there ... but everybody tells her it's impossible. And then she sees all her friends killed by something unknown during a harmless boating expedition, and she barely gets away with her life.

Victoria (Alexis Iacono) is one of the few who has actually ever made it out of the coastal town in question, and she has become a respected marine biologist - and then she is sent back to her hometown that bears nothing but bad memories (including her own alcoholic dad [Jw Wiseman]), to investigate the drastic dying off of marine wildlife.

Her initial investigations into the subject leave Victoria's scientific mind pretty much dumb-founded, and then she meets up with Auriel, who tells her about a legendary sea serpent who needs a human sacrifice every 30 years - and 30 years are over right now -, and she initially thinks the girl's just crazy ... but then she finds herself on the run from Kier and his army buddy Castor (Britt Griffith), who have taken it upon themselves to see that someone is sacrificed to the sea creature ... and this time around, their choice has fallen on Victoria - also as a punishment for being brave enough to leave her hometown behind ...

Dead Sea is a clever little film that isn't content with just being your average monster movie but instead throws together elements of monster cinema, mystery, psycho thriller and even horror in the Lovecraftean tradition to create a very tense piece of genre cinema that relies less on spectacle, effects, sudden shocks and gore than on suspense, dramatic build-up and a general atmosphere of unease. Add to that an extremely competent ensemble cast playing well-created characters, each with their own character arc, and a very fine directorial effort, and you've got yourself a pretty good movie.

Recommended!

review © by Mike Haberfelner

 

Feeling lucky? Want to search any of my partnershops yourself for more, better results? (commissions earned)

The links below will take you just there!!!

Find Dead Sea at the amazons ...   amazon.com   amazon.co.uk   amazon.de Looking for imports? Find Dead Sea here ...   eThaiCD.com Your shop for all things Thai Something naughty? (Must be over 18 to go there!)   find Dead Sea at adultvideouniverse.com

Thanks for watching !!!