Dagon sorta snuck up on me. For a film from 2001, it seems to be doing something totally unlike most of the horror films of that time - it creates a mood. From the spooky island to the brief, fleeting glimpses of the townspeople, Dagon gets so much right in its first act.
In the film, four people are shipwrecked (or yacht wrecked) on a strange Spanish island and discover that the townspeople are devoutly religious to a God named Dago. Unfortunately, Dagon requires sacrifices and this unlikely foursome fit the bill.
The cinematography, makeup effects, and atmosphere are out of this world here and Stuart Gordon should be incredibly proud of this film. The acting is mostly fine and characterizations are somewhat flat (then again, there's not a lot of time for the characters to stop and talk about where they're from or what their parents were like). It moves along quickly and it's never boring for its entire 98 minute runtime.
If I had any nitpicks, it would be the less than realistic CGI during some of the scenes. At least it's backed up by really excellent practical effects (including one nasty skinning scene).
In the film, four people are shipwrecked (or yacht wrecked) on a strange Spanish island and discover that the townspeople are devoutly religious to a God named Dago. Unfortunately, Dagon requires sacrifices and this unlikely foursome fit the bill.
The cinematography, makeup effects, and atmosphere are out of this world here and Stuart Gordon should be incredibly proud of this film. The acting is mostly fine and characterizations are somewhat flat (then again, there's not a lot of time for the characters to stop and talk about where they're from or what their parents were like). It moves along quickly and it's never boring for its entire 98 minute runtime.
If I had any nitpicks, it would be the less than realistic CGI during some of the scenes. At least it's backed up by really excellent practical effects (including one nasty skinning scene).