A secret underwater team are exploring the possibilities of underwater colonisation with the financial backing from the US Navy and in return for that they blow up an underwater carven so they can construct a deep-sea missile silo, though in doing so they release some sort of prehistoric sea monster that picks off the team one by one- but that's only one of their many problems.
This is a very formulaic- but reasonably fun Horror-Sci-Fi film by director Sean. S Cunningham (Friday the 13th), which came out the same time as the overblown- but dull 'The Abyss' and for me the best of the three 'Leviathan'.
Fairly routine stuff, but still it has it's moments of sheer excitement. The setting of the film is good, from the set details of the 'DeepStar six' laboratory base, where most of the action occurs too the alienation of the calm ocean floor.
The characters are your stereotypical types, but the performances are well-delivered with Miguel Ferrer as the very edgy and hysterical Snyder who steals the show and Matt McCoy as the wise cracking Richardson adds some life too. The script had its tedious spots of state the bloody obvious comments- but it's mostly bearable, with some added wit provided by McCoy's character.
The direction by Cunningham is solid, with some nice touches of suspense created and not forgetting a couple of gory moments that truly standout. While the plot is reasonable- it still follows your usual monster on the loose formula, though the idea of the creature's origin was interesting- but it definitely could have been explored in to more. Though other than a sea-monster causing trouble for the underwater crew they also face human foolishness and a leaking laboratory base, with some of the crew falling victims to themselves than the monster.
The pace can be slow at times, though that does help add tension and it definitely picks up in the last 40mins when the monster actually fully appears. While the special effects and the monster itself is fair and it does look a bit like the monsters from 'Tremors' and add a bit of crab too- but it does look more ridiculous and very rubbery when the whole design appears on screen I was hoping that they would keep it mostly hidden e.g. 'Jaws'- but overall it's not too distracting.
Well, have I gone soft, as this discreet sea-monster film has definitely improved on my second viewing?
This is a very formulaic- but reasonably fun Horror-Sci-Fi film by director Sean. S Cunningham (Friday the 13th), which came out the same time as the overblown- but dull 'The Abyss' and for me the best of the three 'Leviathan'.
Fairly routine stuff, but still it has it's moments of sheer excitement. The setting of the film is good, from the set details of the 'DeepStar six' laboratory base, where most of the action occurs too the alienation of the calm ocean floor.
The characters are your stereotypical types, but the performances are well-delivered with Miguel Ferrer as the very edgy and hysterical Snyder who steals the show and Matt McCoy as the wise cracking Richardson adds some life too. The script had its tedious spots of state the bloody obvious comments- but it's mostly bearable, with some added wit provided by McCoy's character.
The direction by Cunningham is solid, with some nice touches of suspense created and not forgetting a couple of gory moments that truly standout. While the plot is reasonable- it still follows your usual monster on the loose formula, though the idea of the creature's origin was interesting- but it definitely could have been explored in to more. Though other than a sea-monster causing trouble for the underwater crew they also face human foolishness and a leaking laboratory base, with some of the crew falling victims to themselves than the monster.
The pace can be slow at times, though that does help add tension and it definitely picks up in the last 40mins when the monster actually fully appears. While the special effects and the monster itself is fair and it does look a bit like the monsters from 'Tremors' and add a bit of crab too- but it does look more ridiculous and very rubbery when the whole design appears on screen I was hoping that they would keep it mostly hidden e.g. 'Jaws'- but overall it's not too distracting.
Well, have I gone soft, as this discreet sea-monster film has definitely improved on my second viewing?