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  • Gareth Crook

Sea Fever (2019)

Updated: Dec 30, 2020

Siobhán (Hermione Corfield) is a scientist, studying marine parasites. Heading out on an Irish trawler into the cold sea, the sense of doom is palpable, if not a bit obvious and tiresome. Not least because the trawler seems to have seen better days, it’s more rust than anything else. She’s onboard with 6 no nonsense souls. They’re a skittish and superstitious bunch, freaked out by Siobhán’s red hair (bad luck apparently). It’s a bit of a clunky signpost of where this is headed. Where they’re not supposed to be headed is an exclusion zone, as they’re warned off by the coastguard. Yet soon enough that’s where they find themselves... and they’re trapped. Not run aground, but not moving, with the hull being taken over by weird blue ooze. It’s part Jaws, part The Abyss as Siobhân discovers they’re being anchored by some kind of giant glowing squid and ships captain Gerard (Dougray Scott) decides it needs catching. He sees pound signs. I’m fearful that this isn’t really going anywhere. It’s supposed to be a horror, but I’m more scared by the fact my phone keeps losing wifi connection. It’s not a cheesy as I’m making it sound, it does have some edge and grit and things look up when they encounter another ship who’s crew have all topped themselves, but it’s short lived. They predictably get infected, the parasite is onboard. It’s a bit derivative from here on, but it’s okay. Who doesn’t love exploding eyeballs and gnarled sea folk losing their shit. It tries its best, playing on the isolation, ramping up the eerie drone score, but the supernatural nature of their assailant does take the sheen off for me. The cast all feel a little weak and the plot too basic. Even the infection theme, so relevant right now falls a little flat. It’s not bad, just a bit schizophrenic.

4/10


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