Beneath Loch Ness

release year: 2001
genre: sea monster horror
viewing setting: home DVD, 11/28/02

synopsis: There's something swimming around in Loch Ness, and it's hungry.

impressions: This movie tried. It really did. The plot was more or less tangible, the acting decent enough, the scenery breathtaking. Still, the movie felt incomplete. After thinking about it for a day, I've realized why: the monster attacks lacked bite. In fact, they lacked the ability to impart to the viewer exactly what had just happened. Hint to filmmakers: in a giant monster movie, when your giant monster strikes, make it decisive! In Deep Blue Sea, for example, it was completely apparent not only that a shark was attacking, but that it actually bit its victim and killed them. In this movie, we get a series of dark, murky shots in which it's unclear what's going on. In fact, in the attack on the kids' boat near the end, the monster appears, the boat tips, and then some people are swimming to safety. NOWHERE is it made clear how many, if any, were killed. This is a major problem - people don't rent movies like this for the scenery. I suspect that all of these problems came about as someone tried to keep this movie from getting an "R" rating. Translation: certain downfall.

things to watch for: I wish I could tell you about at least a single spectacular death...but I can't, because there aren't any.

acting: Decent, perhaps would have been better with a better script.

final word: Worth seeing (barely) but only for loyal fans of this genre.

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