The Black Demon

Aw, come on. It's not that bad! It's just a poor cousin of one of the "Meg" movies, only with Josh Lucas trying to save the day rather than Jason Statham. He finds himself and his family trapped on a dilapidated oil rig off Baja, where they discover that a creature with a fin the size of a tennis court is marauding and it's peckish. Once safely ensconced on the installation, "Paul" discovers that most of the crew have skedaddled and those left are petrified of our huge great sea beastie. Worse still, they believe it has been sent by their gods as retribution for their plundering of the natural resources - and that they are all going to be tomorrow's ambergris. Now, to be fair to this CGI-fest, the ending is not quite as you might expect but the fact that the great fish seems huge enough to eat a bus at one stage then scared off by being kicked by a small child doesn't do too much for the credibility of this really, really quite sad indictment of where this once A-list actor has toppled to over the last decade. It hasn't really an original bone in any of it's bodies and it really is forgettable stuff that almost made me wish that I was the guy in the poster...

This is definitely a movie of all time. It was so good that I had to write this review as I'm watching the movie. I'm literally sitting at the theater right now. My favorite moment was when the antagonist said "it's sharkin' time", an iconic line that nods to the classic Swedish film the seventh seal. Seeing the movie made me wish that I was in the movie, so I could be eaten alive instead of sitting through this amazing movie. I came because the guardians of the galaxy screening was cancelled, but I stayed because my wallet guilt tripped me into sitting through this godly creation. I especially loved how this movie made everyone look stupid, Americans, Mexicans, and even shark, this movie made me hate ethnic groups from every end of the spectrum.

Some of you acting as if the Director kidnapped you, rinsed your savings account as a ticket fee, and Strapped you Clockwork Orange style to watch this 33,000 times on loop.

Ok list style, here we go.

1. The Kills: Pretty original, some offscreen. I mean how much excitement do you really expect from a 70 foot shark eating a person? Is it a Spielberg level event when you eat a single mini m&m? Grade B 2. The plot: It was alright. A small twist in it. I could see this having a different ending a few ways. Grade B 3. Acting: It was hit and miss. Possibly due to the writing. Don't even try to sell me that 50 shades would have been a better movie with Sir Anthony Hopkins in his Prime with Helen Mirin go cast. Actors can only do so much with the role. Grade C+ The wife, and Son are probably the most believable acting in this.

4. CGI SFX: B It was better than anything The Asylum ever did, but yes it's not the MEG and it's not Jaws and it doesn't have to be.

Over all grade with no Zach Galifianakis-Alan mathematical questions in a casino is a B + cause I like shake movies. To score an A though it's tough to come close to Jaws. Even Bruce the shark for all the issues looks like something you'd NEVER want to see in the open ocean.

Pay no attention to the negative reviews because this was solid popcorn. I stopped going by negative reviews on here a long time ago because they are notorious for saying horrible films are terrific and a decent ones bad. And I found that highly suspicious and that is why I stopped giving credence to negative reviews until I download and watch a film to determine to concur or disagree with them myself. Black Demon is a decent enough surviving a killer shark film to watch all the way through without a lot of wtf nonsensical moments. And everyone saying that the acting is bad must have some real personal animous towards the actors because the cast did their job. I've seen bad and even horrible acting and believe me when I say that there wasn't any in this film. And quite frankly for a killer shark movie, the story made sense. So disregard all the negatives reviews and judge for yourself. As an avid film watcher of all genres, this was a solid one time popcorn watch.

Paul Sturges returns to a small town to check on an offshore oil rig while incorporating a family vacation. However, the areas economics have taken a turn and their tranquil retreat is hijacked by a colossal megalodon shark.

Beyond directors Adrian Grünberg captivating visuals, Boise Esquerra's screenplay delves into meaningful ecological and spiritual legends themes, making it more than just a creature feature. Although a little talkie and preachy it highlights the importance of preserving our environment and respecting the sacredness of nature. It's weaves these themes into its storyline, along with the importance of family.

It's a little too human-focused, but includes periodic scary vision interludes, along with the few and far between shark setups. Leonardo Heiblum and Jacobo Lieberman's score adds impact to the proceedings, the effects are good considering the budget, especially the rig itself.

Josh Lucas delivers a great performance, along with notable Fernanda Urrejola and Julio Cesar Cedillo. It's a pity that the film is unapologetically downbeat in its resolution. While the somber tone serves the narrative well, it might leave some viewers hoping for a more optimistic outcome.

Overall, Black Demon combines some interesting underwater visuals, and an eerie cautionary tale of manmade ecological disasters, reminding us of the importance of the ocean's preservation.