I’m a sucker for films that take place in one location. The critically acclaimed Cube comes to mind, but it doesn’t get any better than the wide and open world of the ocean. I mean, when you really think about it, the ocean is a lot like space. Quiet. Undiscovered. And downright scary.
Open Water was pretty fun when it first came out, but it did get a little stale over time. That probably has a lot to do with the unnecessary sequels, but either way, the “open water” never became calming to me. Perhaps that has something to do with being hungover every time my Dad decided to charter a boat, but I digress.
Regardless of my shortcomings, everything that the found footage flick got wrong, Harpoon got right. I mean, having an actual narrative does help, right?
Jonah (Munro Chambers) and Richard (Christopher Gray) are best friends. Sasha (Emily Tyra) is Richard's girlfriend, and although Richard suspects that she's having an affair with Jonah, the three go out for a ride on his yacht. Accusations are made, secrets are revealed, and the fear of not being rescued puts everyone, including the viewer, on edge.
What initially attracted me to this film was Munro Chambers. I’m a big fan, and I’ve been lucky enough to chat him up about past gigs. When Munro is attached to something, you can count on him, at the very least, giving it his all. So, even if the film is trash, you’ll get, at the very least, one redeeming character out of your hour and a half investment.
His performance in Harpoon is no exception. While the film is literally twist after twist, Munro is the driving force, and if it wasn’t for him, it’s hard to argue that the film would be half of what it is. That’s not to say that the movie couldn’t fun without him, but for me anyway, it’s his delivery that kept me entertained and invested from start to finish.
While I enjoyed the twists and turns that Harpoon provided, there were a few poor choices that were hard to overlook. While most of the effects were solid, some of the makeup looked odd. There’s a scene were Sasha gets choked, and for the rest of the film, she has some serious bruising. While I don’t hate the choice to include the marks, it’s a little much, and because of which, I was somewhat distracted every time she was on screen.
Also, some of Richard’s dialogue is just plain weird. I’m not sure if this has to do with him per se. It could be a simple writing issue, but there are plenty of times when he left me confused rather than intimidated because of how he handled the exchange.
Harpoon is definitely a fun film though, and while Munro is undoubtedly the reason most audiences will tune in, I believe everyone involved gave it their all. Harpoon isn’t to be missed. It’s beautifully shot, full of authentic performances, and will ultimately leave you frazzled.
Black Fawn’s release is the best way to enjoy the film, and it’s the ONLY place you can snag the retro slipcase. This Blu-ray looked amazing on every television that I checked it out on. And while I would have loved an actor commentary, the many commentaries they DO provide are interesting and insightful. Other special features include:
Audio commentary by writer/director Rob Grant and producers Michael Peterson and Kurtis Harder
Audio commentary by director of photography Charles Hamilton and colorist Brendon Rathbone
“Psychedelic commentary” by writer/director Rob Grant
30-minute behind-the-scenes making-of featurette
B-roll footage of the cast and crew
Deleted scenes
Trailers
To purchase Harpoon, head to Black Fawn Distribution HERE.
Jessie Hobson