The Lighthouse Keeper (2016)

After taking last night away from the blog to nap before driving to North Carolina for the Easter holiday, I figured I would focus tonight’s entry on the last film I watched during the week. That movie is the 2016 Edgar Allan Poe-inspired The Lighthouse Keeper.

Plot/ Marooned on a remote peninsula and haunted by frightening specters, a young man must confront the grotesque denizens of the night, or follow the Lighthouse Keeper's cryptic warning to, always keep a light burning!

There are times when I want to relax and watch the classic horror tales of the past. Filmmaking was so different in the past eras, with the atmosphere and storylines taking center stage instead of the forced effects and gore. That is exactly what I found with this one. Loosely based on the short story by Edgar Allan Poe, this one harkens back to a different time in cinema. While it is not perfect, the storyline is interesting, there are some atmospheric moments, and the direction/cinematography was solid. Yes, some of the performances were flat and uneven, and the ending felt a touch abrupt and forced, but those flaws are minor and do not bring down the film. In the end, if you are a fan of Poe or enjoy movies that make you think instead of relying on effects and gore for entertainment values, this one is for you. Check it out!

Jaws 2 (1978)

Sequels are always difficult to venture into. While some exist that at least match the quality of the source material, most fall flat. Of course, this is usually the case when Hollywood is more concerned about money than originality. In my next review, I cover a sequel that was clearly more about money than an original concept: Jaws 2.

Plot/ Police chief Brody must protect the citizens of Amity after a second monstrous shark begins terrorizing the waters.

In many ways, this movie was doomed from the start. Think about it, no matter how good it was, there would be no way for it to live up to the bar set by the classic Jaws. Now, that does not make it a bad movie, but it does hamper its ability to stand on its own and capture the audience in the same way that the original. While there are some positives with decent performances, the awesome soundtrack, and some outstanding technical aspects, the overall atmosphere did not match the tension of the first. Add on the lack of memorable characters, an uneven storyline, and a predictable premise, and it is easy to why this one did not live up to the expectations set by the timeless Jaws. In the end, this is a perfect example of a movie franchise that did not need to add any sequels to secure its legacy in cinematic lore. Is this a bad movie? No, it really isn’t, but there is no way that it could have ever matched the depth or powerful impression left by the original. If you are in the mood for a shark movie, give it a shot, if not, watch the original; it has more bite.

The Reef (2010)

So, January is coming to an end. This has been a big month; starting the new job at PIA, celebrating Genesis’ birthday, and branching out with writing (working with the guys at Steelers101). Now, it is time to finish the month on a high not on the blog. My final review of the month is the shark movie, The Reef from 2010 (based on a true story).

Plot/ A great white shark hunts the crew of a capsized sailboat along the Great Barrier Reef.

Let me start by saying that this is one of the best shark movies that I have seen. This movie is put together really well, with solid cinematography that creates a realistic feel and a lot of tension throughout. The character development is sound, acting decent and it was refreshing to see a real shark in a movie vice the standard CGI or mechanical beast. Yes, the pacing was slow and the action was spread out, but this film definitely took a different route in creating its foreboding atmosphere.  In the end, this is one of the better animal attack films to come out in some time, and one that is definitely worth watching.