Thursday 28 July 2022

The Reef: Stalked (2022)



Writer-Director Andrew Traucki has something of an aquatic-themed CV, having previously made BLACK WATER (2007), BLACK WATER: ABYSS (2020), THE REEF (2010) and THE ABCS OF DEATH segment G is for Gravity (2013). His latest is THE REEF: STALKED and it's getting a digital and DVD release from Signature Entertainment.

Nine months after her sister is murdered by drowning, Nic (Teressa Liane) sets off with three female friends for a weekend of sun and surfing in the Pacific. However, scarcely are they paddling out to a paradisiacal-looking island than something with a big pointy fin starts swimming towards them, begging the question: how many will survive and in how many pieces?



THE REEF was a seriously decent suspense-filled little piece about a few people standing on top of a sinking capsized boat trying to escape the attentions of a Great White shark. Perhaps needless to say, THE REEF: STALKED doesn't see any characters from that returning, either because they're dead or if they're sensible they now plan their holidays somewhere appropriately dry and land-locked.

So what we have is a sequel in all but name, and while THE REEF was good, THE REEF: STALKED is pretty generic. Once again we have a great big shark with a taste for plastic and wood that, in the curious habit of movie sharks, will stop at nothing in its somewhat lunatic vendetta to pursue the same small group of people. The CGI isn't bad and it makes a change to have an all-female group being menaced, but the suspense and sense of isolation of the director's other movies listed above is a bit lacking here. One for Evil Fish completists only. Signature's DVD contains no extras to speak of but you do get the trailer for FALL which is going to be the closing film at this year's Frightfest. 





Andrew Traucki's THE REEF: STALKED is out from Signature Entertainment on digital on Friday 29th July 2022 and DVD on Monday 8th August 2022

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