Movie Name/Year: Sea
Fever (2020)
Genre: Horror,
Sci-Fi
Length: 90
minutes
Rating: Unrated
Production/Distribution: Bright
Moving Pictures, Creativity Capital, Fantastic Films, Flexibon Films, Frakas
Productions, Makar Productions, Gunpowder & Sky, Signature Pictures, Dust,
Eagle Film
Director: Neasa
Hardiman
Writer: Neasa
Hardiman
Actors: Connie
Nielsen, Hermione Corfield, Dougray Scott, Olwen Fouéré, Jack Hickey, Ardalan
Esmaili, Elie Bouakaze
Blurb from IMDb: The
crew of a West of Ireland trawler, marooned at sea, struggle for their lives
against a growing parasite in their water supply.
Cat’s Point of View:
It’s not every day that you get an opportunity to take part in
something groundbreaking. That’s just one of the several reasons why Sea Fever jumped to the top of the list
for today’s review. In researching a different article, I came across the
announcement that the US premiere would be a live stream event hosted by Dust, which is a free streaming platform for
science fiction short films. (Dust also has its own YouTube channel
where some of its shorts are featured.)
For a $4.99 ‘ticket,’ the online audience would have access to the
movie a day early (April 9th, 2020) and also get to participate in a
live Q&A session with the director and some cast members immediately
following the movie. Sold!
Of course, with theaters around the world currently closed due to
pandemic mitigation, the movie industry is requiring fast adaptation to bridge
the gap between now and when the big screens can re-open once more. I thought
this was quite the ingenious proposal to offer a ‘red carpet’ experience to
everyone. It’s a win/win for the producers and distributors as well as the film,
itself.
With that in mind, our Top 20 movies to look out for in April focused
on internet releases only. Selina and I both had high hopes for Sea Fever. She had it listed as #2,
while I had this movie as my #10 pick. I’m somewhat wishing I’d listed it
higher in retrospect. Alas, hindsight is what it is.
On to the movie!
I love the ocean, creature features, and all things Irish – so this was
really a film right up my alley. Though, as a horror film set on the high seas,
I had an initial expectation of dread at the outset because of how isolated and
vulnerable the characters were under such circumstances. That, and you know
something wonky is going to happen when someone tells a bookish scientist that
they should get out of the lab and live a little, right?
I was not disappointed in the least with this movie.
The creature was right on target as creepy and eerily beautiful. No,
scratch that. It was horrifying. I’m curious to know how much of it was
practical effects and how much was rendered with CGI. Unfortunately, the
Q&A didn’t get to that question. I enjoyed it all the same. They did
discuss the set, itself to some extent, however. I have to tip my hat to the
art department and those responsible for set-building for this project. All of
the interior shots of the ship were done on a sound stage, where they’d
meticulously recreated the inside of the trawler.
The production team did a phenomenal job with casting for Neasa
Hardiman’s (Holby City, Inhumans, Jessica
Jones) Irish tale of terror. Hermione Corfield (Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies,
Rust Creek), Connie Nielsen (The
Following, Wonder Woman, The Catcher Was a Spy), Dougray Scott (Hemlock Grove, The Vatican Tapes, Batwoman)
all delivered nuanced and gritty performances.
I completely believed I was watching the inner-workings of an Irish
fishing trawler while they put up with their aloof scientist passenger. The
decisions the characters made and their dialogue felt organic. The
moral/ethical dilemma that the crew finds themselves in is also crazily similar
to much of what the world is facing now in our collective isolation. It’s quite
the coincidence in timing that this film is releasing now, with current events
as they are – but it makes the stakes the characters are facing feel all the
more real. It gives a different perspective on things.
I also enjoyed how the story subverts some of the expectations one
would have with this genre. It’s interesting when you see someone changing up
the recipe. The outcome felt right. Just keep in mind that this film is a slow
burn. It’s not flashbangs, running, and screaming. It’s a buildup of unease and
psychological just as much as it’s about an alien of the ocean depths.
Sea Fever will be available,
starting April 10, 2020, on a number of streaming services. If you visit the
link in the summary details above, the movie’s website provides a comprehensive
list of availability.
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score –
None
Metascore –
61
Metacritic User Score –
None
IMDB Score –
6.1/10
CinemaScore –
None
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4/5
Trust-the-Dice’s Parental Advisory Rating: PG-13
Trust-the-Dice’s Parental Advisory Rating: PG-13
Movie Trailer:
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