Welcome to GORIED TREASURES, a Bearded Gentlemen Music column devoted to fright flicks of yesteryears! Specifically, retrospectives of cult favorites, lesser-knowns, and other horror films that have flown under the radar. Sometimes I’ll gush over my pick, and other times I’ll sound like I’m being way harsh, Tai. Either way, let’s talk about scary movies!
When traveling to the Land Down Under, tourists are warned of all the country’s dangerous fauna. Not only does Australia have more venomous snakes than anywhere else in the world, it’s known for its surplus of saltwater crocodiles. These armored beasts can reach twenty feet in length and weigh up to 1,000 pounds. They’re found in the Northern Territory; they swim in fresh as well as brackish waters. And they can perform a hunting move colloquially referred to as the “Death Roll.” So yeah, salties are scary. But do they deserve their notorious reputations as unstoppable, insatiable maneaters?
According to the movies, crocodilians are ravenous monsters. Alligators and crocodiles are some of the most popular antagonists in creature features, too. Cinema indeed exaggerates the insidious natures of these aquatic reptiles — but that’s not to say they’re harmless either. Australia alone is home to a number of fatal croc attacks.
A notable case back in 2003 found three boys encountering a crocodile while biking near Kangaroo Flats. One boy was killed and the other two hid in a tree overnight because the croc was still lurking nearby. No doubt this incident attracted a lot of press. And to no one’s surprise, this nightmare inspired a movie.
BLACK WATER (2007)
“What you can’t see can hurt you.”
After wrapping up Christmas vacation at their mother’s, sisters Grace and Lee leave for a fishing trip in the mangroves with Grace’s husband Adam. There, they and their tour guide are attacked by a territorial saltwater crocodile. The survivors are finally left stranded in the trees as the predator circles below. To make matters worse, no one even knows they’re missing.
No bite-sized characters here
A number of lesser quality creature features are guilty of having some flat, thinly written characters who play second fiddle to the monster. They lack complexity, and they’re forgettable once the movie is over. If you do root for the heroes, it’s mainly because you’re supposed to; not because you want to. Also worth noting: excessive human fodder dulls death’s effectiveness. These animals are turned into senseless, interchangeable killing machines. There’s no fear in something seen in plain sight every ten minutes, devouring one valueless character after another.
On the other hand, Black Water boasts three main characters, one of whom becomes almost ancillary due to the fatal design of the story. There are some other supporters, but none of them are important in the long run. The movie never transforms into a full-fledged character study. Rather, it’s a dramatic thriller with well distinguished players who you can’t help but feel sorry for. The protagonists didn’t wantonly invade the croc’s turf, or tip the balance so this was a “nature’s revenge” kind of picture. What happened was simply unforeseen and terrible.
Diana Glenn and Maeve Dermody come off as genuine in their respective performances as Grace and Lee. They convey fear and anguish in equal measures. Although Andy Rodoreda underplays his role of Adam, he’s still affable. It’s easy for actors to get hammy in a movie like Black Water, but fortunately, we aren’t subjected to anything of the sort. Instead, the cast is eerily believable as people caught in a very bad situation.
What a croc!
The main thing that differentiates Black Water from other similar films is the use of a real crocodile. This being an indie production with a relatively small budget, expensive CGI was out of the question. And director Andrew Traucki was not interested in using a dummy either. Casting a living, breathing croc was both wise and bold.
Dodgy effects and props can spoil even the best creature features. There’s just no discernible threat if your audience isn’t impressed by the monster. So seeing a flesh and blood crocodile bob its head in and out of the water is potent. You get a real sense of danger in Black Water.
Something else that’s commendable is the crocodile’s portrayal. In movies like Primeval or Lake Placid, the scaly villains don’t behave anything like crocs. They’re only inflated caricatures. Here in Black Water, the beast is authentic and daunting.
TL;DR
Avid watchers of aquatic horror may expect this niche of creature features to always be cheesy. That’s not true, though. Believe it or not, realistic movies about water-dwelling terrors can work under the right conditions. This film is sheer proof of that. The acting is solid, the frights are convincing, and the grittiness is most appreciated. Black Water may lack the budget and showiness of fellow Aussie crocsploitation Rogue, but it’s successful in its own ways.
Oh, and by the way, you can expect to see a sequel in 2020 called Black Water: Abyss.
Stay tuned for more GORIED TREASURES.