The DVD cover itself seemed a bit shoddy and upon first glance I thought the reptile was a snake instead of a crocodile. Thankfully I don't judge DVDs by their covers (actually I always seem to pick out the ones that have fantastic looking covers before anything else...don't you?), but I tend to look at several things before actually purchasing. That being the synopsis (obviously), the distribution company or studio, and sometimes the budget. Of course the budget isn't actually listed on the cover but I tend to sometimes do a little internet research before heading out to a video store to buy or rent lesser-known or foreign movies.
Apparently the budget for Black Water is less than a million. I'm guessing for that amount they probably found a good team of computer-animation artists to put together the croc action scenes and a semi-talented person to write the script.
Actually I'm just being naive! I figure I'd just put the DVD in the player and see for myself.
The film starts off with Gracie (Diana Glenn), her husband Adam (Andy Rodoreda) and her younger sister Lee (Maeve Dermody) who go for a little fishing expedition in the Australian wilderness with assistance from a tour guide in, unknowingly, man-eating-crocodile-infested waters.
The atmosphere seems pleasant enough as the trio cast their lines in the murky waters until suddenly a giant crocodile sneaks up by surprise and capsizes the boat! The guide ends up as croc-food while the trio are able to climb to safety up a nearby tree. This is where the real story begins as it becomes a tale of man vs wild as the characters are basically trapped while the hungry croc lurks beneath.
A large portion of the movie actually sees the characters remain trapped in the tree which might cause some impatient viewers to hit the fast-forward button in hopes of seeing more action but I found these 'sit and wait' scenes to be particularly engaging, more so for the fact that you could feel a sense of nervousness for the characters because of the sheer helplessness of their predicament.
The movie really doesn't drag all that much to be honest since the characters do tend to make an effort to escape by either trying to return to the capsized boat or maneuvering from one tree to another, although ultimately they are forced to climb even higher up the trees to escape the wrath of the unusually athletic croc!
What I really enjoyed overall is how gripping the movie is with its level of tension and uncertainty of events as the characters are fighting for their very lives. There aren't noticeably many cheesy one-liners and overall, the film opts for silence which is a method that can work if implemented correctly. The females aren't worried about the state of their nails and aren't screaming throughout like annoying bimbos either which is a norm in the majority of cliche-ridden horror films. I'd actually applaud the actors here for their performances, and would especially give a standing applause to the directors David Nerlich and Andrew Traucki seeing what they managed to accomplish here.
The crocodile effects were handled extremely well for a limited budget I must say, combining special effects with real documentary footage. The crocodile itself is hardly evil although it is a very menacing and fearsome presence with the intention to feast. Actually a crocodile trying to eat three innocent people can be considered evil now that I think about it although truthfully its intention is merely to survive just like any other reptile or animal in the wilderness. The only problem here is that the croc wants to eat people we come to care for.
Character development itself is somewhat limited but if we're to get the gist of it, the characters are merely just a happy young bunch enjoying a little fishing trip. Nothing wrong with that whatsoever.
A large part of the climax falls directly on Maeve Dermody's ability to sell the illusion of fear, pain, anger, anguish, desperation, and the willingness to stand and fight when face to face with the nasty croc.
Overall, Black Water is a blood-curdling and hair-raising experience which exceeded my expectations. A sure ranking on the list of top horror movies coming out of Australia, no doubt! With 5.1 dolby digital sound, the best setting for viewing this movie would ideally be a lazy Sunday afternoon. No real need to watch it with the lights out since the action takes place during the day and you'll hardly be going to bed wondering if there's a crocodile in your closet. Although I do believe you'll think twice before going fishing in the mangrove swamps of Australia!
Grade* B+
Ranjit Binning is a graphic designer and web designer who runs his own horror movie review blog at http://tophorrormoviesondvd.blogspot.com
