It is well known that ever since Jaws took the world by storm back in 1975, Hollywood has tried to recapture that magic - or at least that high degree of hype - with a great many killer shark movies. None of which have come close, especially the Jaws sequels. But the success of 2018's The Meg has certainly excited things in recent years. Which brings us to The Black Demon, the story of a monstrous megalodon sent by the gods to punish us for our mistreatment of the Earth. Yes that's right, the director of Rambo: Last Blood has delivered a killer shark movie with a message about climate change, and a rather forced one at that! In fact, the movie stops dead about half way through to give audiences a lecture (with visuals) on the damage we have caused.
This might be an easier pill to swallow if the movie was in any way engaging, but apart from a few scenes The Black Demon just fails to grab you. It certainly doesn't earn the right to lecture. As a killer shark movie it's pretty weak. The genre is pretty well stocked, meaning - fish puns aside - each new entry must try to find a hook. In this case the great big shark has the ability to torture its victims with terrifying visions - because being stuck in the water with a giant set of teeth chasing after you isn't terrifying enough! Either way, this curious ability is used a tad inconsistently and doesn't do much for the movie or the shark itself. The fact that we only catch mere glimpses of the titular megalodon does at least mean we don't have to dwell on the poor CGI, and it also grants the shark a mildly haunting presence. However, the movie could never be called scary. Even the beast's occasional attacks on the rig fail to conjure an unnerving sense of peril.
The one thing the movie does do well is in creating a high pressure environment on the rig, with the very thing keeping the family and their new found friends alive also being the source of their doom. Between some excellent set design and some good - but occasionally hammy - performances, there is a growing sense of tension and even claustrophobia as they try to find a way to get safely back to shore. Julio Cesar Cedillo and Josh Lucas have some good arguments and /or slugging matches, but is there more to it than their perilous situation and one's refusal to accept what is happening right in front of his eyes?
Some good performances and excellent set design. However, the tense environment on the rig and a mostly absent El Demonio Negro aren't really enough to keep this killer shark movie afloat.
3/10
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