Sharktopus
2010 · Directed by Declan O'Brien
Original language: English
- tv movie
- horror
- science fiction
The story
The U.S. Navy's special group "Blue Water" builds a half-shark, half-octopus for combat. But the sharktopus escapes and terrorizes the beaches of Puerto Vallarta.
What it’s like
Bright, flat daylight on sunburnt beaches, saturated turquoise water and cheap digital greens, with the monster rendered in glossy CGI that rarely sits quite right against the real sand and surf. Camera work is workmanlike: wide establishing shots of resort coastline, quick cuts between tourists and military scientists, and frequent close-ups of the creature lunging out of the water. The score is a bombastic, synth-tinged action cue that swells at every attack, and the dialogue lands with a wink-free earnestness that makes the whole thing feel like a Saturday-afternoon cable rental. The violence is frequent and cartoonishly gory, with bodies pulled under and sprays of blood in the surf, but it reads as campy rather than harrowing, and there is some brief sexual content and mild profanity. Pacing is brisk and episodic, built around set pieces on crowded beaches and a rolling runtime that never lingers. A good fit for a rowdy group night or a lazy, ironic watch with friends, especially for fans of Z-grade creature features who want the pleasure of a monster that's ridiculous on purpose.
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