Movie Review: Sharktopus

Sharktopus
Starring: Eric Roberts, Sara Malakul Lane, Kerem Bursin, Héctor Jiménez, Liv Boughn, Shandi Finnessey
Peter Nelson
Director: Declan O'Brien
New Horizons Picture, Bay City Productions, Syfy, USA, 2010.

 Cult horror director Roger Corman and Julie Corman produced this made for TV movie.

Bree (Maija Markula) almost gets eaten by shark, but remotely controlled Sharktopus (or S-11) kills the shark. Sharktopus has sharp-pointed tentacles, sharp teeth and it can spew ink. Nathan Sands (Eric Roberts) is testing it with his daughter Nicole (Sara Malakul Lane). Commander Cox (Peter Nelson) wants to test Sharktopus but the remote controller gets damaged and Sharktopus gets out of control. Soon it spears some local people and then heads for Mexico. (There is a really weird image on landing aircraft).

Take that, Jaws.

"Oh no, not like this!"

Is the aircraft landing on water or what?

It's up to Sands' to track and capture the beast or the funding is terminated. Santos (Julian Gonzalez Esparza) suggest them to contact Andy Flynn (Kerem Bursin) for help. He is at swimming pool. He is underwater bareheaded AND WHEN HE SURFACES HE HAS A SOMBRERO ON HIS HEAD! This is awesome!

Andy with his favourite drink

Nicole Sands

Nathan Sands, the inventor of Sharktopus

There is a funny scene when a bikini girl finds a gold coin on the beach. A geezer watches her (that's Roger Corman himself in cameo role). Sharktopus eats the girl so the geezer gets the coin. Lucky guy!

Lucky guy!

Sharktopus goes to beach

Investigating reporter Stacy Everheart (Liv Boughn) and camera man Bones (Héctor Jiménez) interview Pez (Blake Lindsey) who has seen Sharktopus. Stacy wants a big scoop on TV and they go chasing Sharktopus. here is also a pirate radio DJ named Captain Jack (Ralph Garman) with assistant Stephie (Shandi Finnessey, Miss USA 2004). They quarrel about informing the public about the Sharktopus. Andy thinks Nathan did something to make Sharktopus more ferocious. Nicole does not believe it first because she thinks that Nathan is a man of science.

Bones and Stacy

Stephie and Captain Jack

However dad tells Nicole that the Sharktopus was modified for military purposes. Nicole and Andy decide to destroy the monster. T Meanwhile Sharktopus goes eating tourists and we get some routine beast hunting. Then the movie gets a bit more serious. (Interestingly also Nicole loses her glasses and Andy loses his shirt).

The heroes get serious

Wonder if it is bulletproof

The movie is entertaining and fun cheapie monster movie. The plot is of course run-of-the-mill and effects are of variable TV movie quality. The acting is over the top. However the movie has clearly been made withtongue-in-cheek. The music is mostly happy surf pop or Mexican style music.

Rating: Good