Movie Review: ‘The Black Demon’
Mexico is known for it’s dark yet plausible folktales, The Black Demon is a new film that aims to carve their own story from this supposed folklore of a 60ft+ black shark out to kill intruders.
The Black Demon is a Mexican folktale that has been around for generations. In 2008 video emerged that had shark and Megalodon enthusiasts equally excited of The Black Demon’s existence. That being said, the film The Black Demon is trying to spin a few too many narratives. We sat down hoping to enjoy a Jaws like shark horror-thriller than was a bit more preachy than it was scary. Does it have jump scares? Absolutely. It’s a but campy and if thats your movie vibe then settle right in, this story was tailor made for you.
The synopsis reads as: Oilman Paul Sturges’ idyllic family vacation turns into a living nightmare when they encounter a gigantic megalodon shark that will stop at nothing to protect its territory. Stranded and under constant attack, Paul and his family must somehow find a way to get back to shore alive before it strikes again.
With a clear environmental message, and an in your face approach to Mexican’s hating “Gringos” aka Americans, it can be a little exhausting when set against the back drop of waiting for a jump scare for our real star of the film, the shark. The editing and storylines could use some real finessing, but overall it’s a campy B-movie that any fan of indie productions could enjoy. If you like sharks and are willing to overlook the conflicting storylines that don’t mix with the overall story of the film (killer shark) then it’s not bad. We wouldn’t give it a single star but we also wouldnt give it five. Lets say we’d land somewhere along 2.5 to 3 stars for effort. If you want a shark tale, this isn’t it. It’s a long lecture on the dangers of ecological disasters, with the threat that nature will come claim us. Wait, that also sounds like a great movie. It’s heavier on the lecture and less prominent on the action.
For the budget they had, they did do a good job on effects, and again there was potential. As fans of practical effects, we consider the rise of CGI, maybe people have forgotten what real effects look like. We tip our hats to the team who did a great job making the most of their budget. Our biggest gripe is how little shark we get in a shark movie.
