During summer 2000, the USA network premiered a series of nature-runs-amuck TV movies (some of which were aired theatrically overseas) produced by a company called Nu Image. The films in question were CROCODILE, SPIDERS, SHARK ATTACK, and OCTOPUS. All these movies are bad cinema, but OCTOPUS is the most redeeming of the bunch, mainy because of it’s 1950’s retro approach. Like in IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA, radioactive waste is responsible for mutating innocent sea life into an evil-looking Godzilla-sized octopus. What separates this film from the other contemporary direct-to-video fare, is that OCTOPUS is not a glossy product of Hollywood. The motion picture was filmed entirely in Bulgaria, which lends an entirely different feel to the production. OCTOPUS includes American unknowns in the lead roles and an international cast to round out the production (of course you won’t be watching a film like this for the acting). OCTOPUS is directed by low budget specialist John Eyres, the man who bought us GOOD NIGHT GOD BLESS, MONOLITH, and PROJECT SHADOWCHASER 3000. Trimark Home Video released OCTOPUS on DVD in late 2000 in an uncut format, as the mild gore was edited out of the USA network version.

The film begins during the Cuban Missile Crisis. An American submarine accidentally downs a Soviet sub, unaware the Russians are transporting containers of a particularly dangerous brand of toxic waste. In the ensuing years, that stretch of ocean has been dubbed the Devil’s Eye—because of all the ships that have disappeared without a trace. Recently, the U.S. government has commissioned loose cannon submarine commander, Captain Shaw (David Beecroft), to head up a study mission of the area using the resources of his submarine, the Leningrad. Dr. Lisa Finch (Carolynn Lowry) is the marine biologist who researches the local marine life from on board the Leningrad, when she is not playing strip poker with the crew. An evil international terrorist named Casper (Ravil Isyanov) sneaks into a Bulgarian embassy disguised as an old lady. Fresh faced C.I.A. agent Roy Turner (Jay Harrington) allows Casper to walk right by him and plant a bomb on the premises. After the Embassy is blown to bits, Roy pursues the fleeing terrorist, who hijacks a vehicle in order to escape. But the car crashes and Roy gets his opportunity to kill Casper, who is knocked senseless. Being a green rookie agent, Roy can’t bring himself to shoot the terrorist. So he takes him into custody instead.

Roy’s superiors want to try Casper in the United States court system, so they appoint Roy with the responsibility of transporting the terrorist to American soil. To keep Casper’s terrorist accomplices from getting involved, they order Captain Shaw to pick up Roy and his prisoner and escort them to U.S. shores undetected aboard the Leningrad. Captain Shaw welcomes them aboard and Casper is put into the brig. The Leningrad sets off for America, but soon has a run-in with a giant sea creature which feasts on a couple of their divers. The giant octopus attacks the Leningrad and sends it plummeting to the bottom of the sea. The hungry octopus then uses its tentacles to pierce the hull of the ship and consume most of the crew, except for the survivors Roy, Dr. Finch, and Captain Shaw. While all this is going on, Casper breaks free from his bonds and engages in some cat and mouse games with our heroes. Meanwhile Casper’s terrorist associates commandeer a cruise ship and head for the Devil’s Eye, in an effort to spring their twisted leader from the Leningrad. Roy, Dr. Finch, and Captain Shaw must find a way to overpower Casper and escape the mutated seabeast that prowls outside the sunken submarine…

OCTOPUS is written by Michael Weiss, the same hack who scripted the god-awful CROCODILE. His script is a patchwork of story ideas lifted from other, better genre films. Besides ripping off the obvious aquatic thrillers like JAWS, Peter Benchly’s BEAST, and LEVIATHAN, the film also borrows elements from DEEP RISING (giant monster attacks cruise ship), TURBULENCE (psycho terrorist causes calamity), and even HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER (the downfall of a Russian submarine). Writer Michael Weiss pulls out every conceivable Hollywood convention in the book, such as the reactor of the atomic submarine going critical mass (no self-respecting maritime film would be complete with at least one major self destruction sequence), the threat of a terrorist time bomb (which always goes off at the last minute just as the hero/heroine makes it out of the blast), and the heroes who get trapped in their submarine with faulty communications equipment so they can’t call for help. It’s deja-vu to the Nth power. The script starts out with some serious intrigue but the film soon degenerates into unintentional humor and the bad one-liners.

While OCTOPUS is not big on originality, it does deliver some interesting visuals and special effects. The effects are partly miniatures blended with some imaginative computer graphics. The special effects (especially the underwater ones) have a lot of character because they are actual miniatures (similar in execution to the effects of modern Toho sci-fi films) and not cartoonish digital effects. The eight legged giant is more articulated and menacing than the cephalopod from Peter Benchly’s BEAST. The mutated Octopus destroys helicopters, submarines, and attacks a cruise ship. It also eats a lot of people in various gory ways. OCTOPUS is not really a pure monster movie. It is mainly about the capture of an international terrorist, and the ordeal of the shallow characters trapped in a sunken tomb. Only in the last twenty minutes does the monster octopus take center stage. Unfortunately, the dialog and baby-faced actors will strain your patience before the special effects finale pays off.

Director John Eyres is guilty of watching too much MTV, and not enough time honing his direction skills. Everytime there is an extended action sequence, instead of letting the audience witness what is happening, he tilts the camera and employs slap-dash editing to heighten the kinetic intensity of these actionless setpieces. His technique fails miserably and only ends up annoying the viewer (luckily the special effects sequences are free from his tinkering). But that annoyance is nothing compared to the performances of this no-name cast, especially the dreadful acting of the submarine crew. They are bad actors anyway, but spewing his cardboard, recycled dialog makes their delivery all the more painful. Only Carolynn Lowry puts in a good performance. Not because she is a believable marine biologist, but in comparison to everyone else she looks like Sir Lawrence Olivier. Also director Eyres is constantly telegraphing each and every plot point (sometimes more than once) that quickly removes any modicum of suspense.

-  Darren Collette