This movie really shines if you watch it after another movie made by Brigitte Kingsley. Her skills as a filmmaker have really improved over time. Andrew Cymek has learned to write roles that play to her strengths.
If you haven't seen any of her other movies, you'll be a little bit confused about how this thing got made. Rest assured, there is a tried and true production model behind it. This is an incredibly well-put-together project for what it is, which is a basically 100% independently financed Canadian action/horror schlockfest. The budget bleeds all over the screen in places--some of the visual effects are almost too good, to the point where some of the performances almost don't warrant them--but that's hard to complain about when they're not actually detracting from the movie in any way. If that's how the filmmakers chose to spend their money, instead of hiring C- or B-list talent, that's fine. Clearly, they were having fun, and that earns the movie a lot of points.
There are moments that don't make sense, like the scene where the protagonist appears to be stabbed through the abdomen by a tentacle before going on to win the movie as if that particular moment just never happened, but maybe I'll piece that moment together on rewatch. If you're looking for something different and don't mind watching an ego stroke itself onscreen, this is a fine way to spend a couple hours. Take notes, Neil Breen!
If you haven't seen any of her other movies, you'll be a little bit confused about how this thing got made. Rest assured, there is a tried and true production model behind it. This is an incredibly well-put-together project for what it is, which is a basically 100% independently financed Canadian action/horror schlockfest. The budget bleeds all over the screen in places--some of the visual effects are almost too good, to the point where some of the performances almost don't warrant them--but that's hard to complain about when they're not actually detracting from the movie in any way. If that's how the filmmakers chose to spend their money, instead of hiring C- or B-list talent, that's fine. Clearly, they were having fun, and that earns the movie a lot of points.
There are moments that don't make sense, like the scene where the protagonist appears to be stabbed through the abdomen by a tentacle before going on to win the movie as if that particular moment just never happened, but maybe I'll piece that moment together on rewatch. If you're looking for something different and don't mind watching an ego stroke itself onscreen, this is a fine way to spend a couple hours. Take notes, Neil Breen!