The Reef is that rarest of treats: an “animal attack” thriller that is as dramatic as it is horrific.
This is not the first time that writer/director Andrew Traucki has dealt with sharp toothed predators. His 2007 debut feature Black Water was an impeccably crafted romp that focused on a group of friends picked apart by a killer croc.
The Reef follows a familiar path, yet is done on a slightly bigger canvas. Four friends (Damien Walsh-Howling, Zoe Naylor, Gyton Grantley, and Adrienne Pickering) embark on a sailing trip to India. In typical manner, their yacht capsizes in the middle of the ocean, with the current pulling them further form land. Choosing whether to sink or swim, they go forth like a cluster of seals, unbeknown that beneath the surface white death is stalking them.
With only his second movie, Traucki has proved to be a master of tension, with The Reef an intimate thriller, shot close and packed with nervous energy. Story wise its plot points are well presented, even though the odd moment of downright idiocy does take over these characters, yet such is the nature of this sub-genre.
But story is not what Traucki is selling. It is character which sets The Reef apart from the likes of the moronic bloodshed of Piranha 3D. Not since Jaws has shark bait been portrayed so wonderfully conflicted and acted, with Zoe Naylor in particular a standout.
Yet the best moments of authenticity goes to the shark itself. Using his Black Water as inspiration, Traucki gives the finger to CGI and animatronics and instead superimposes real life shark footage, which he and his crew captured in South Australia.
Traucki’s foresight to depict his sharks’ predatory habits as realistic as possible gives The Reef an authenticity that too many filmmakers opt against. There is no Spring Break bikini massacre, or sharks munching on helicopters to be found here. Just pure, raw terror with teeth, slicing through the ocean with primitive instinct and an insatiable hunger.
Small in budget, yet epic in horror, this is the type of stuff that nightmares are inspired by, made even worse by the fact that it’s based on a true life incident.
You wouldn’t dare go into the water after watching it. |
