Gods of the Deep

OK, the good. It looked like the actors tried to make this watchable. They didn't try too hard, but they tried. The camera work was also acceptable. Sorry, not much more to say good.

I wanted to like this movie, I really did. But as soon as they needed to show anything beyond scenes sitting in a conference room, the props, staging, and general direction were HORRIBLE.

The most obvious thing is the director was completely clueless. Anytime he was oblivious to what would actually happen in a situation he would shake the camera. And wow, the 'really cool, cutting edge' technology was SOO bad. To the point that the hatch to the submarine was a trash can lid! ... and it closed the wrong way!!! You make a movie about a submarine and you never saw a single submarine movie??? Do just a LITTLE homework.

I can write pages about how bad this movie was, but that might give the director hints on how to make his next movie better. Instead, I would strongly consider another line of work.

Not sure why they require 600 words now. Maybe just to reduce the quantity of people reviewing - or the quality of people reviewing. Anyway! This movie is like a college project. I read somewhere that they had a budget of three million dollars, mostly spent on catering I would guess. Not one recognizable face. The props were found at the local hardware store. The scientific principles - aren't. But like many "Sci-Fi" efforts, you have to wonder how, in the movie, they selected the participants for such a seemingly demanding mission. How emotionally unstable are you? 'Look, a squirrel! Let's kill it!' "Yes, you'll do." Rubber monsters, no CGI, sub in a bathtub. Thank goodness for Fast Forward. I made it through the movie in about a half hour. I heartily recommend you spend far less.

The movie is a B movie with a very low budget. Nevertheless, it was somehow fun to watch until the winged creature showed up that cannot move but just trying to move his hand up. However the best scene is when they decided to smoke cigarette in a submarine that is under 37.000 feet. In fact they smoke it with passion. The scenario is basically a combination of Call of Cthulu of HP Lovecraft and the Aquaman so folks there is nothing new. The high votes to this movie were given rather by trolls who have so much time or people who are related to the production team. Do not waste your time and watch other staff such as The Abyss an oldie but goldie !

A bumbling group of international goofballs dive to the bottom of the ocean in a corrugated tool shed held together with caution tape.

Yeah, this exists.

I don't think it is a parody but that it was actually made in complete earnest Roger Corman-style. So it has a bit of heart as a labor of love. A Lovecraftian labor at that.

And while the sets are very cheesy, the camera work (especially the lighting), the sound and the editing are all actually pretty professional. And most of the cast seems to have attended at least an acting class or two.

But the budget is infinitesimal. Distractingly so.

There is a plot. Of sorts.

Well, at least Tim and Joe are watchable.

Plot

When a daring mission leads a deep sea submarine team into a mysterious opening on the ocean floor, they uncover a lost underwater world and awaken its ancient race of otherworldly beings.

Cast

The cast, no clue.

However it's made by the same chap who made Vampire Virus, Winterskin, The Barge People and Deadman Apocalypse so I've seen plenty of his stuff and to mixed results.

Verdict

What is it with Lovecraftian-esque movies that seems to render them almost all entirely terrible? For this reason I expected the worst going in, but that cover art really got my attention!

British made but surprisingly not an ITN film, you can tell straight out of the gate the budget is minimal but it does it's best to get over this obstacle.

When they went under water and we get our initial "Action" I was conflicted. I loved what they were doing and applauded their effort but it looked ropey and don't even get me started on their using a generic filter and not even trying for any kind of underwater effect.

Then it all goes downhill, they throw the concept out the window and deliver a very bland horror that can't even be called Lovecraftian.

Points for effort, but simply not enough.

Rants

I love Cthulhu, I love the old gods, I have a degree of megalophobia and therefore such movies should be amazing to me. Why do so few deliver? And when they do they tend to keep it on a considerably smaller scale due to the lack of budget? I have no faith in Hollywood anymore especially when it comes to horror but I'd love to see what they could do with a large budget and a decent Lovecraftian script!

Breakdown

Decent concept A degree of effort was put in Certain areas don't have any effort at all Concept gets thrown out the window about a 3rd of the way through.