“Fear Strikes Where You Least Expect It.” Synopsis: A group of oil workers being held hostage by a gangsters on an oil rig are attacked by a freshwater bull shark.

Watch now on Amazon

Calamity Brains:

I would say Red Water is more family-friendly drama than horror movie if it weren’t for the often brutal interpersonal moments. Still, it comes across as more TV special than creature feature – we have the down-on-his-luck captain forced to work with his ex-wife, a long-time friend with a special bond, the mentor, and an overly colorful cast of bad guys. The sharks hardly figure into the equation at all, being in the end much less menacing or problematic than the human villains.

Red Water also includes an oddly in-depth look at underwater mining. I’m not qualified to comment on the accuracy of the technical aspects, but I will say that I appreciate the extra level of effort the filmmakers’ chosen plot required. It would have been easy enough to do the movie just with boats and docks; instead, the set includes an oil drilling platform and lots of expensive equipment.

Honestly, the only other thing that’s noteworthy about the movie is the cast, which includes Lou Diamond Phillips, Kristy Swanson, and Coolio. It’s not really selling point, though; you’d assume a movie with that cast would be a lighthearted train wreck (and we did), but it’s just not. The whole thing is very serious and focused on the drama – not really a creature feature/rapper mashup paradise.

There are worse ways to spend your time, but you should be aware that you’re in for a made-for-TV special rather than a fun creature feature with Red Water.

Calamity Brains’ Rating: C+
Watch now on Amazon