The Sci-Fi cable channel in the States manages to produce an incredible amount of dross in terms of "original" movies; these often turn up as filler on the UK version of that channel and occasionally on other channels here, which is how I came to see the above time-waster. Maybe one of these days I'll accept the fact that I don't really have to watch any movie that is new to me -- but I doubt it.
The concept here was as old as talkie films: nine strangers (well, OK, two crooks did know each other previously) wake up on a strange cargo vessel in the middle of a grey ocean. One does not need to be a rocket scientist to quickly work out that they are all recently dead and that the ship is their limbo. What makes this all the more dreadful is that they are all more or less the same age -- I guess young or old people don't kick the bucket -- and are comprised of the most dreadful collection of non-talents that I have seen for a while. The only name previously familiar to me was the lead, Antonio Sabato Jr. (who's Sr.?) and I have wondered previously how he has come to have a career. His emotive depths come across as "that's-what-it-says-in-the-script-here", but the Sci-Fi folk must love him (or he's made them an offer they can't refuse), since he keeps starring in their so-called entertainments.
The only saving grace was Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa in the role of the enigmatic ship's "steward" laying down the rules for the voyage. He has appeared in countless minor films, but is always a noteworthy presence with his sly class and style. Now if he had been the lead in this movie...
1 comment:
The lack of acting ability might not have mattered so much if the script and the
filming had been competent instead of from the kiddies' book of films. Some of
the special effects were fairly well done but that is hardly sufficient reason for the
film to have been made. It did have the benefit of making the Edward Furlong
film 'The Crow' appear better than it was (this was the evening's 'main event').
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