It seems that shark movies are well and truly making a comeback and today we bring you a review of the latest with the Megalodon thriller The Black Demon which is now available on Digital Platforms and available to purchase on DVD & Blu-ray courtesy of Signature Entertainment.
It’s man versus myth in this supernatural showdown for the ages. When oilman Paul Sturges (Josh Lucas, Yellowstone) takes his family to Bahia Negra, the crown jewel of Baja and the site of Paul’s best-performing rig, the vibrant Mexican coastal town he once knew has mysteriously crumbled. In the decrepit ghost town, the last inhabitants tell Paul the offshore platform has awoken ‘El Demonio.’
This shark is unlike any other creature; a shark of legend, known as The Black Demon. Soon, Paul and his family find themselves trapped on the rig, under constant attack by the giant monster who slowly eats away at the rig’s supports – with time ticking away, Paul must find a way to somehow get his family back to shore alive.
I have to say that I was hoping for a little more action in The Black Demon but it is much more a slow movie than an all-out action one that takes you swimming with sharks, the movie is more of a thriller than an action horror, as those that are on the oil rig are trying to survive against something that is mentioned as being of supernatural in nature or it could just be a Megalodon that has a hatred for what humans are doing by destroying its habitat with all the oil drilling.
The opening of the film had me intrigued with the glimpse of El Demonio, the underwater scenes look very good and you get the feeling of the terror that is lurking beneath the waves, but the slow pace after the initial scenes had me watching and waiting for something big to happen.
Once Paul Sturges (Josh Lucas) finally arrives on the rig, closely followed by his family, we are treated to some gory moments (but not many), the story moves along at a steady pace and we slowly get to learn that there may be more to Sturges visit to the rig than we first thought, this adds a nice twist to the storyline and it did grab my attention more from that moment.
The special effects in The Black Demon are good, the creature itself has some good-looking underwater scenes and a brief moment out of the water when we get an idea of the size of it and what it is capable of.
The cast all seem to work well together, there are some wooden moments that seem very cheesy, but hey this is a monster movie and we can expect that from time to time. The Black Demon isn’t going to be for everyone and it’s by no means the best shark movie out there, for me that still has to be JAWS, but if you are looking for something to whet your appetite in preparation for The Meg 2: The Trench then give this a watch.
Also starring Fernanda Urrejola (Cry Macho), Raúl Méndez (Sense8), and Julio Cesar Cedillo (Sicario), The Black Demon is directed by Adrian Grünberg (Rambo: Last Blood) from a script by Boise Esquerra.