Marina Monster
A film by Christine Whitlock, Marina Monster as its name suggests, deals with a killer monster in the ocean. It is hard to tell what Whitlock really intended to make of the film because it is neither comedy nor horror whereas the plot seems to be in a raw state with two storylines being blended unsuccessfully into one. Made in a very amateurish manner, Marina Monster does not seem to make practical sense when you come to think of it. It is yet another of those monster movies that have hardly been able to make a mark let alone make a point. You are left to make what you want of the plot as the story unwinds itself.
Suddenly people begin to be disappearing into the ocean and no one seems to notice. The first feeling of uneasiness is recognized when an employee at the Centre for Inland Waters, Earl Molar discovers that the fish in his local marina have mysterious gone down in numbers. He later finds that the sudden disappearance of the fish in the marina is due to the appearance of a bull shark, which had apparently been brought into the marina by a freighter. Starting with fish, people begin to disappear one by one, positively being attacked by the shark in some way or the other. It is strange that so many people are missing, but no one seems to investigate the disappearance.
Marina Monster
This is one part of the plot. The other plot that weaves itself alongside the monster movie is the romance between Earl Molar, the most handsome eligible bachelor on the island, and Oceana Anchor, his lady love. The two are deeply in love, but unfortunately they are children of two feudal yacht club chieftains who are up in arms against each other. With the annual sailing competition getting closer, something must be done to stop the shark attacks before more people get killed and the race turns into a disaster. It is now up to Earl and Oceana to stop this menace and try and make their fathers understand that there is really a shark lurking in the waters waiting for every opportunity to attack.
Unfortunately the movie fails to impress, in fact the whole thing is so childishly done that Christine Whitlock proves herself, inexperienced and falling short of any imagination. There is no blood and gore in the movie, which is not bad, as the shark attacks are not shown in full, leaving us to think what might have happened to the poor victims. Except for a pool of blood in the water at times, we do not see the shark tearing its victim apart. Funnily, no one seems to notice the people around them being killed, but funny is what the film was supposed to be, but again there is nothing funny about it.
The film has a weak script, made even worse by actors who hardly know how to act and the direction is weak too. Altogether, they have made Marina Monster, a monstrosity that sends your head reeling with confusion. Since we have already been exposed to several monster shark movies before, we instantly begin to form a comparison and our expectations are naturally high as we would expect to see something of a similar quality if not superior. Marina Monster does not reach that expectation; in fact it is below average and therefore a total disappointment.
Director: Christine Whitlock
Cast: Trevor Crane, Michelle LaHaise, Ray Kohler, Andre Ciere, Ilene Elkaim, Scott Broe, Allen Swerling
Language: English
Country: Canada
Year: 2008