The fearsome gargantuan shark species long believed to be extinct, is fast becoming a favorite subject of the entertainment world. Particularly, the cinematic universe. This ancient, enormous marine predator appears to be supplanting the well-worn great white sharks that were a staple of movies in the age of Jaws. Now is the case for movies like The Black Demon.
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Frequently, the allure of shark movies resides in a shared theme. That is, the resurgence of suppressed aspects. Sharks serve as the representation of the ocean's furious and violent subconscious that resents the human desire to dominate nature. In Jaws, the menace was not just the shark but also the mayor whose pursuit of wealth poses a potent danger.
A film titled "The Black Demon," crafted under the skilled direction of Adrian Grunberg and the creative pen of Boise Esquerra follows this enduring formula. In the movie's universe, a gigantic shark, locally referred to as "el demonio negro", brings terror to the Mexican coast. Yet, the real monstrous entity is a leaky offshore oil-drilling platform, owned by the fictitious Nixon Oil, an emblem of unbridled corporate greed and political corruption. This association is rife with irony. Given that in real life, Richard Nixon was responsible for the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency.
In this narrative, the central character is Paul, portrayed by Josh Lucas. He is an engineer in Nixon Oil's employ. When he arrives at the nearby town to the rig that he had overseen years ago for an inspection, he brings his wife, Ines (played by Fernanda Urrejola), and their children, Audrey (Venus Ariel) and Tommy (Carlos Solórzano), along for a family vacation.
An unforeseen chain of unlikely events results in the entire family, along with rig worker Chato (skillfully portrayed by Julio Cesar Cedillo), finding themselves trapped on the crumbling rig, besieged by the relentless attacks of the black demon. Chato puts forth a theory that the shark is an avatar of Tlaloc, the Aztec god of rain. He says that he is expressing his fury at the pollution caused by the rig. Chato maintains that only by offering a sacrifice can the wrathful deity be appeased. Paul, steeped in corporate thinking, dismisses this theory as mere superstition. This leads viewers to expect the classic genre device of him paying a hefty price for his disbelief. One certainty, however, is that Chato's spirited chihuahua puppy, Toro, is almost sure to survive. This adheres to the customary sparing of animals in such narratives.
Regardless of the somewhat conventional storyline, the cast brings a commendable sincerity to their performances. Their exchange of dialogue is nearly as engrossing as the occasional terrifying sequences. In these scenes, stunt performers plunge into the oil-infused sea, trying to repair critical equipment, each time bracing themselves for a potentially lethal encounter with the shark. The grimy, oil-soaked waters conveniently camouflage a variety of budget-related imperfections in special effects.
Still, "The Black Demon" proves entertaining despite its constraints. A welcome change in the plotline is the moment when Audrey, the teenage daughter, turns into the unexpected heroine. Her scientific understanding of the chemistry of nail polish becomes the key to their survival, breaking the usual pattern of such narratives and adding a touch of modernity to the tale.
