This movie promises to be a fun ‘buddy cop’ style action flick, but is in fact a tense, slow-burn serial killer thriller. Of course there are a few action scenes, including the final showdown, and plenty of Stallone being Stallone but its mainstay is gritty crime thriller.
Closest comparison: It’s like Tango & Cash by way of Blue Steel.
Setting: Buddy Cop
Plot: Serial Killer
Tone: Horror/Thriller
This is a competent disaster movie, incorporating vehicle, disease, and political corruption in a well-balanced combo. Unfortunately much of the drama is moot. We know what the problems are that the characters are trying to figure out for much of the time, but it’s still played for suspense without realizing it’s undercut its own tension. There’s a good bait-and-switch mini-mystery and several exciting sequences that keep the film from going under, and at the end of the day it still lands on its feet.
Closest comparison: It’s like Unstoppable by way of Murder on the Orient Express (1974).
Setting: Disaster
Plot: Political Thriller
Tone: Thriller
This movie is a solid entry into the creature horror genre. It builds on many established genre classics, swapping the space setting of Alien for deep sea, splicing in a sizeable dose of The Thing’s body horror for good measure. There’s substantial chemistry with real depth and connection, and the effects are better than the budget could have predicted. If you like ‘80s horror movies and haven’t seen it, you owe it to yourself to check it out.
Closest comparison: It’s like Alien by way of Sphere.
Setting: Isolation
Plot: Horror
Tone: Disaster
