ManFish

What was so intriguing for me that I ended up deciding to watch this film on a whim?

It wasn't the ratings. I admit, I'm a little dependent on IMDB ratings when it comes to horror movies, or even comedy horrors. I usually draw the line at an even 5.0 rating.

It wasn't the premise. I was like "oh great. Just what we needed. A gay version of 'The Shape of Water.'"

No, what intrigued me, was the contrast between the overall rating (5.2 stars at this time) and the average ratings from those who actually took the time to leave a review (8.27 stars at the current time).

I've found that most horrors (and comedy-horrors even), have a diverse range of reviews, even when there's only a handful. But I got the feeling that maybe, this was a hidden gem worth watching, when I saw that all but one reviewer gave it at least an 8. So I gave it a go.

And I'm glad I did. It's quirky and fun, and you gotta appreciate the British humor. I love the little things. For example: take the opening scene. In any given big production film, when the fisherman got boinked on the head by the bottle, they would have had a foley artist throw in some exaggerated sound effect. But this film keeps it real. There's barely a sound, which in some way amplifies the comedy.

And as an American, I gotta say, hats off to the English, their slang, multiple levels of dialects, and quick witted insults will forever be the epitome of entertainment for me. There are also some interesting and extremely subtle jokes hidden in the dialogue. Lines that make you go "wait....what? Did he just say what I fought 'e said?" (I'm trying to write it out with a cockney accent). And there are so many wonderfully random moments. Like, why do things seemingly fly out of nowhere to hit the characters? It's so Monty Python-esque.

Getting to the premise, the movie's about a rather pathetic and yet sympathetic simpleton named Terry, who is depressed and wishes for a better life. He makes the discovery of a lifetime, and things get weird and silly right quick. It loses itself from time to time, the original charm seemingly forgotten in favor of furthering the plot. But it's weird enough, and quirky enough, to remain interesting.

I wouldn't consider it comedy-horror, let alone horror. It's mostly just weird, comical, and a bit sad. Oh and weird. Did I mention weird? Because it's weird. But, strangely enough, it's charming and funny at the same time. Take the "human toast" monologue for example. It's ridiculous. But touching. In a strange way. It could have been a lot more though. And it lost itself too often. Still an enjoyable flick for something different.

I didn't know what to expect when watching this, I watched it on a whim. But I can easily see this becoming a cult classic. It's sooo good. The humour really tickled me. The laughs just keep coming right up to the end too, it's hilarious. I love horror comedy, and this was a strong example.

All the actors are really strong, and sell it. Right down to the mannerisms.

I thought the creature design could have been better, but I love how expressive they managed to be with that mask. The story is simple between a man and his man fish, but honestly it's just fun. You can really tell so much about this film was intentionally done.

Absolutely wonderful film. Manfish kept us guessing the entire time we watched and the twists and turns were funny and unexpected. The film caught us of guard and laughing the whole way through.

The acting was superb, having grown up around Essex and Canvey their portrayal was spot on.

Manfish was beautifully shot and edited and for the most part felt like it had a high production value.

We're very much looking forward to what the team have planned in the future and will eagerly await further projects

Well done to all. Would highly recommend Manfish to those who want an easy going horror comedy to watch.

A great comedy horror with some great actors! Its funny, sad and crude all at the same time which kept me occupied the whole way through the movie. It has a really nice raw feel to it and some of the lines in this movie really made me laugh to the point where I keep thinking about them! Dean Kilbey plays the role of Terry (who is a very calm and placid character) perfectly and the supporting actors roles are pretty much the opposite to Terry which gives a really strong contrast which works really well. A great job. Well casted, well written and well worth the watch! I highly recommend this movie..

Manfish (2022) is a United Kingdom horror comedy that was recently added to Shudder. The storyline follows a down on his luck island man whose older brother bosses him around and his wife cheats on him...with his older brother. One day he comes across a manfish washed up on shore and unconscious. His wife helps him bring the Manfish home in hopes of selling it for a lot of money. As the man becomes friends with the Manfish he starts doubting the plan...

This picture is written and directed by Marc Coleman, in his directorial debut, and stars Dean Kilbey (A Song from the Dark), Emma Stannard, Jon Campling (The Northman) and Liam Noble (National Treasures).

The storyline actually reminded me a little of The Lighthouse, if they went too far with some of the scenarios. The concept had some potential and the writing isn't awful. The Manfish costume reminded me of The Creature from the Black Lagoon. The kills had great blood splatter but could have used more gore. There's some kissing scenes in this that are hard to watch. The ending was disappointing and had me rolling my eyes. This was a frustrating picture that made me wonder why I gave it a shot when it was finally over.

Overall, this is a film with a few good premises and lines, worthwhile acting, but wasn't executed as well as it could have been. I would score this a 3/10 and recommend skipping it.