Blue Demon
release year: 2004
genre: sci-fi/horror
viewing setting: home DVD, 12/16/05
synopsis: Project Blue Demon runs amok, resulting in genetically-enhanced sharks swimming in public areas.
impressions: This looked like a killer-shark movie, but it wasn't; it was a human drama with a few sharks thrown in - and a grand total of a mere THREE SHARK DEATHS !!! This is inexcusable. I guess I should have known what I was in for, since this movie's preview was on the last one I watched (The Thing Below.) This is especially worrisome since this DVD itself contained a preview of the next one I will watch, Hollow. There's a trend here, each one I watch is worse than the last, and contains a preview of the next...and they all got rented in the same video store trip. Anyway, this movie wasn't really that bad, it just wasn't good - and it wasn't what it was advertised to be. Rather than bore you with details of the plot and plot holes, I'll just mention some highlights: computer screens that can see everything, anywhere...over-the-top general...midget boss with hot Nordic secretary...aquatic maintenence worker #3, who walks around half-stripped to a bikini top but never gets in the water and thus never gets killed (or seen again)...gag with road sign in shark's mouth...fishing trip that the father and daughter won't ever forget...tranquilizer dart to someone's crotch...couple who teases skinny-dipping...fisherman with rifle on his boat...laptop and cell phone used to control six sharks. The CGI sharks were decent, though the CGI bridge was bad. As a final word here, let me again state that a killer-shark movie with only THREE SHARK DEATHS is a travesty to the genre. The worst part was that there were several other should-have-been-deaths that didn't happen. Of course, this was rated PG-13. Argh.
quotable: (daughter to father, regarding her first fishing trip) "Baseball's a sport. Basketball's a sport. This is a murder."
something this movie has that no other movie has: Tranqulizer dart shot directly into the crotch of security guard.
acting: Everyone did okay, even the midget as a tyrannical boss, except for Jeff Fahey as the completely over-the-top General Remora (get it? argh!) who was so serious that his guards saluted him every time he turned their way...and yet got disarmed and beaten with the old life-preserver-thrown-around-his-arms trick. Oh well...no one can ever say that this movie didn't contain copious amounts of cheese.
final word: It's not that bad, and is worth watching, but don't expect another Deep Blue Sea because this one takes a different direction.
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