THE BLACK DEMON

You put a shark in your film and there's a high chance I'll, at the very least, enjoy it. The Black Demon does exactly that with a megalodon shark at its disposal however, does it utilise the vital component well enough to provide enough entertainment? Adrian Grünberg, the man who put the Rambo franchise to sleep rather uneventfully, helms this film and the results are rather unspectacular.

Oilman Paul Sturges' (Josh Lucas) idyllic family vacation turns into a living nightmare when they encounter a gigantic megalodon shark that will stop at nothing to protect its territory. Stranded and under constant attack, Paul and his family must somehow find a way to get back to shore alive before it strikes again.

From Jaws to Deep Blue Sea, and Sharknado to The Meg, there's a vast array of shark films that range in quality and stupidity. The Black Demon joins the ranks but what it doesn't do is embrace the silliness too much of a megalodon shark attacking an oil rig. It's a shame because it takes itself a little too seriously and I'm sorry but, no shark film is ever topping Jaws in that regards. If you've got a megalodon in your film, you best have someone as cheesy as Jason Statham to tackle it head on.

It isn't without minor redeeming features mind, the shark killing a number of people in gory fashion being one yet it's nowhere near enough to call this a good film. The throwaway screenplay and drab performances, led by Josh Lucas, don't do the film many favours at all. Lucas feels like he should have had a career as a Hollywood leading man but his career never really took off, leading to duds like this.

Even as a shark film, which I can usually at least enjoy, The Black Demon struggles to deliver anything resembling a fun experience. I'll just sit here and hope The Meg 2 delivers what I hoped this would in spades.

Verdict: ★½