Black Water: Abyss

'Black Water: Abyss' seemed like an odd title to me, but I didn't click on to the fact it was probably a sequel until reading it was after seeing it. Usually I like to see originals before I watch their sequels, however in this case I don't suspect it will matter too much. An opening scene for any horror/thriller is so important. It sets the tone for everything to come. The opening scene is this film is about as bland as they come. Almost no creativity or effort on the part of the writers went into it. Everything that happens is as bland and predictable as you could possibly imagine. The film does get slightly better as it goes along, but it never reaches any great heights.

I hate it when a character in a movie is said to be pregnant early on. It's supposed to make us care more about the fate of that character, but all it does it make them feel extremely safe. It does play into a side plot later on, but the movie would be so much better without it being there.

The plot of the movie is basically a group being stuck in a cave, with a crocodile running rampant. That sounds like a fun movie. I was hoping for something more along the lines of 'The Decent'. But in 'The Decent' they felt genuinely lost underground and like they could be miles from getting out and only digging themselves deeper. It created an extreme sense of claustrophobia for the audience. In 'Black Water: Abyss' however, it feels like they have only just entered the cave when the trouble begins, and like they are always very close to being able to get out.

There are a few scenes that create some genuine tension and the effects with the crocodile are quite well done throughout. Caving in Northern Australia sounds like the worst thing in the world to me and is something I'll never do, but I can handle watching a film about it. There isn't a whole lot to recommend about this one sadly.

The film is long, generic and absolutely uninteresting.

I mean, a group of mostly inexperienced people decided to delve into a random cave and also bring a pregnant woman with them. You can't write characters that are more stupid that these, really.

It was mostly fine on a technical level, but there's just nothing interesting about the characters or the story, no interesting locations, visuals, anything.

I understand that maybe the creators wanted to make it look realistic and dry, but you have to have something in your film that will capture the viewer's attention, just having stupid people in it doesn't help, nor does help having a love triangle subplot in a crisis situation. And yeah, the ending is just ridiculously bad.

As I scanned through the reviews it become clear that this is a sequel to a popular film I haven't seen (which is much better), so I'll guess I'll check it out as well.

Surprisingly enough, this was a very weak attempt at a croc film provided that Australians have some really good films in the sub-genre, like Rogue (2007).

This is very skippable. There's absolutely nothing in this that will horrify or entertain you in any way.

I enjoyed the start, withe couple lost and arguing, and for some strange reason switching to argue in English, but as soon as the four main thrill seekers appear on screen, it all goes downhill.

I can't remember the last time I watched a good monster in a cave film, there seem to have been quite a few. You watch for ages before anything happens, it literally takes about fifty minutes for anything to happen.

I was genuinely glad when that crocodile got what it wanted. The good looking blonde dude was such a smug character.

Toothless, 4/10.

Makes you want to root for the monster. Really quite a stupid movie with a soundtrack that sounded more like Love Story than a monster flick.

If your bored and have nothing else to watch then by all means go and watch this film, you could do worse but if you have other things to watch and miss this little title then don't panic your not missing much. I was hoping this would be much more edge of your seat tension but there was none. That's right no tension at all, in fact the last thirty minute I was praying the film to end. Now don't get me wrong, the cast and the story did nothing wrong but the film itself became boring quickly, nothing happened and that my dear reader is where the film falters. A basic adventure film, not a horror. Just about four stars.