Nature bites back.|Apr. 26, 2023|Dominican Republic|100 Min.|R
Genre: Horror;Thriller
Description: “The Black Demon” is a 2023 science fiction horror thriller film written by Boise Esquerra and directed by Adrian Grünberg. The movie stars Josh Lucas, Fernanda Urrejola, and Julio Cesar Cedillo. The story follows Paul Sturges, an oil company inspector who is sent to assess an oil rig called “El Diamante” in Baja. Accompanied by his wife Ines and their two children, Audrey and Tommy, Paul hopes to combine work with a family vacation. However, upon arrival, they find the town in ruins and the situation at the rig far more dangerous than anticipated.
Paul discovers that the rig is not only in disrepair but is also being threatened by a massive, 60-foot megalodon shark known as “El Demonio Negro” (The Black Demon). When his family decides to join him on the rig, they become stranded alongside two remaining workers, Chato and Junior. Trapped and under constant attack, Paul and his family must find a way to escape the rig and survive the shark’s relentless onslaught. What begins as a hopeful family trip quickly turns into a nightmarish battle for survival against one of nature’s deadliest predators.
Critics have offered mixed reviews of the film. Chad Collins from Dread Central gave it 2 out of 5 stars, stating that the film’s subtext is overshadowed by its simplistic monster movie approach. Matt Donato of IGN rated it 4 out of 10, calling it another lackluster entry in the shark attack genre. Meanwhile, Meagan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting noted that while the film attempts to highlight ecological themes, it fails to develop them meaningfully, leaving the story shallow and unfocused.
Overall, “The Black Demon” delivers a tense survival narrative but struggles to rise above the familiar tropes of its genre.
Cast director: Adrian Grünberg
Cast actor: Josh Lucas, Fernanda Urrejola, Julio Cedillo, Venus Ariel, Carlos Solórzano, Jorge A. Jimenez, Raúl Méndez, Héctor Jiménez, Edgar Flores, Omar Chaparro
Original name: The Black Demon