THE BLACK DEMON is a new shark horror movie. Actually, it’s a Megalodon movie (yes, like THE MEG) and also features an eco-horror story. Surprisingly entertaining. Read our full The Black Demon movie review here!

THE BLACK DEMON is a mega shark horror movie that was out in movie theaters and can now be watched as PVOD. Its current IMDb rating of 3.7 is very deceiving. As are all the 1-star ratings and the 10-star ratings, both claiming the others are wrong and to “not believe them”.

If you enjoy a good shark horror movie (or Megalodon, to be exact), but also enjoy it when there’s more to the story than just a bloodthirsty monster, then this is for you.

READY FOR MORE MEGALODONS?

Check out the trailer for the upcoming The Meg 2 which is over-the-top and fun as well >

Continue reading our The Black Demon movie review below. Out on PVOD from May 30, 2023.

A very character-driven monster movie

In The Black Demon, we’re obviously dealing with a mega shark (or megalodon), but monsters come in many shapes and sizes. In order to really get us [the audience] involved, this monster movie has opted for a very character-driven story. And it works surprisingly well.

We meet the oilman Paul Sturges (Josh Lucas) as he takes his family to Bahia Negra. It’s supposedly the crown jewel of Baja, so he wants to take a small vacation after he has done his job. It’s also the site of Paul’s best-performing rig. So, why not combine business and pleasure?

Unfortunately, the once vibrant Mexican coastal town is a shadow of itself. A very abandoned and barren version of the place he knew. It’s a ghost town really. Those still hanging around in the town, tell Paul that the offshore rig has brought forth “El Demonio”.

In what appears to be a typically arrogant move by Paul, he leaves his family in this scary place and heads out to the platform for a planned inspection. They quickly follow him – after events that force them to take off.

Soon, they’re all trapped on the oil platform, where a massive black shark known as “The Black Demon” is aggressively trying to protect mother nature against human threats.

Along with Josh Lucas, we have a small cast that works really well. Both as a family unit and as individual characters. Fernanda Urrejola portrays his wife, Ines, and the children are played by Carlos Solórzano and Venus Sriel.

Finally, we have Julio Cesar Cedillo (Sicario, Chupa), Jorge A. Jimenez (Narcos, Alita: Battle Angel), Raúl Méndez (Sense8), and Héctor Jiménez (Nacho Libre) in key roles as local Mexican characters.

The Black Demon (2023) Megalodon Movie

Why so many bad ratings of The Black Demon?

The new shark movie has been getting terrible reviews and ratings on IMDb, which isn’t really difficult to understand when you watch it. It takes place in Mexico, where the local Mexican characters are both heroes and “bad hombres”. A good mix really.

The real villains are the oil companies who care only about money and never see the impact of their actions.

Also, the white, straight, good-looking American man (the always wonderful Josh Lucas) isn’t the hero. In fact, he’s an oilman. A company man, who does as he’s told. When you see the aftermath of a very faulty oil rig, you’ll understand why nature fights back.

Basically, this is an eco-horror story, and not everyone is a fan of those. Climate change deniers for one. When confronted with a movie like The Black Demon, they forget to watch it and enjoy this work of fiction. Instead, they cry woke and drop a 1-star rating and consider it a day.

That’s a shame because this is actually a very entertaining shark horror movie that focuses on its characters and has an eco-horror story.

Watch The Black Demon on digital now!

Adrian Grünberg is the director of The Black Demon. Previously, Adrian Grünberg (or Grunberg) directed Rambo: Last Blood (2019) and Get the Gringo (2012). Very interestingly, he was also First Assistant Director on the 2006 movie Apocalypto which took place in the Mayan kingdom.

The story comes from Carlos Cisco (Star Trek: Discovery) and is in part based on a Mexican legend that includes the Aztec god of rain named Tlāloc. The screenplay was written by Boise Esquerra, and this is a feature film debut for Boise Esquerra as a writer.

Having seen the IMDb rating of just 3.7 (as of writing this anyway), I had absolutely no expectations for The Black Demon. That’s why I was surprised that it’s well written, has strong performances by its small cast, and even uses special effects in very efficient ways. Do check it out for yourself!

The Black Demon is out on digital from May 30, 2023, and on DVD from July 11.

Details

In Theaters: April 28, 2023
On VOD: May 30, 2023
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Director: Adrian Grunberg
Writer: Boise Esquerra (script), Carlos Cisco (story)
Cast: Josh Lucas, Fernanda Urrejola, Julio Cesar Cedillo, Venus Ariel, Héctor Jiménez, Raúl Méndez

Plot

Oilman Paul Sturges’ (Josh Lucas) idyllic family vacation turns into a nightmare when they encounter a ferocious megalodon shark that will stop at nothing to protect its territory. Stranded and under constant attack, Paul and his family must somehow find a way to get his family back to shore alive before it strikes again in this epic battle between humans and nature.

I write reviews and recaps on Heaven of Horror. And yes, it does happen that I find myself screaming, when watching a good horror movie. I love psychological horror, survival horror and kick-ass women. Also, I have a huge soft spot for a good horror-comedy. Oh yeah, and I absolutely HATE when animals are harmed in movies, so I will immediately think less of any movie, where animals are harmed for entertainment (even if the animals are just really good actors). Fortunately, horror doesn't use this nearly as much as comedy. And people assume horror lovers are the messed up ones. Go figure!
Karina "ScreamQueen" Adelgaard
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