Starring: Brian Krause, Anne McDaniels, Steven Helmkamp, Candice Nunes, Berne Velasquez, Gildon Roland.
Directed by: Mark L. Lester (Firestarter, Commando)
Written by: Rafael Jordan
Running time: 80 minutes
Rated: None (for tame creature violence, adult situations)
Reviewed by Michael Juvinall
Poseidon Rex will be in select theaters and iTunes on April 18th, 2014
What do you get when you cross a Tyrannosaurus Rex with a sea monster? You get the creature feature flick
Poseidon Rex from Anderson Digital and director Mark L. Lester. Poseidon Rex is another in a long line of creature mash up films that belong squarely on Syfy network. Films such as Sharktopus, Piranhaconda, Dinocroc, and more recently, Sharknado just to name a few have all paved the way for Poseidon Rex to reign supreme. These films are of the “so bad they’re good” variety that has grown quite a following in recent years. A film where you know it’s going to be bad going into it, but that’s all part of the fun. They’re films that everyone knows are not going to win any awards and part of the fun is to revel in the absurdity of it all. Poseidon Rex definitely falls into this category and is reminiscent of classic 1950’s films such as The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms and The Giant Behemoth.
Set in a tiny island off the coast of Belize in Central America, we are introduced to fortune hunter Jackson “Jacks” 
Slate, played by Brian Krause (Charmed, Stephen King’s Sleepwalkers) who has fallen in with a band of gangsters who he owes money to. Trying to get the thugs off his back, he offers to dive the famous sinkhole that’s 400 feet deep called the Great Blue Hole in search of Mayan gold. While at the bottom, they dynamite for gold and unknowingly awaken an ancient creature that has lain dormant for millions of years.
Jacks, along with the beautiful marine biologist Sarah (Anne McDaniels-Attack of the 50ft Cheerleader, Apocalypse, CA) and tourist Rod (Steven Helmkamp-Dominion) are on the run from head gangster Tariq (Gildon Roland-Dragon Wasps) who’s looking for his gold and the now rampaging P Rex. The gigantic creature is just as much at home on land as he is in the sea and he has a real appetite for destruction. Jacks and his group must find a way to send the P Rex back into extinction before he destroys the entire island and everyone on it.
What can you say about a film like Poseidon Rex, there’s not too much plot to speak of and most people are there just to watch the creature mayhem. The film partly satisfies the itch for monster movie destruction, but for my money, it had a few too many gaps in the action. I would’ve liked to see the P Rex just a bit more in the film; after all, that’s what people are there to watch. The creature is totally computer generated and with films like this, it’s pretty obvious. The CG P Rex is decent but still sticks out like a sore thumb against real backgrounds.
Director/producer Mark L. Lester is a veteran of some big budget films such as Firestarter, Commando, and
Funhouse. He’s been working steadily in Hollywood for over 40 years, but his projects seem to be getting smaller as he ages. Technically, the film is average, Lester makes good use of the beautiful Belize locations, but there are minor mistakes that always bug me such as boom mikes dipping into the shot in at least one scene and logic errors. A couple of underwater scenes in particular when the divers are using just a mask and regulator but speaking to each other through microphones without their mouths even moving is just annoying for logic.
The acting is also decent by the primary cast. Krause, McDaniels, and Helmkamp all perform well, but again won’t win any awards anytime soon.
The film itself is pretty tame by horror standards. It is not rated, but could easily be PG-13 and could be played on Syfy without any edits at all. I would’ve liked to see more creature violence and at least a little blood, but there really is none to be found in the film and they’re on a tropical island with bikini babes everywhere and one hell of a gorgeous and buxom leading lady and not one hint of skin to be seen besides bikini shots.
Poseidon Rex is a creature feature that can be watched by the entire family, but if you’re looking for more violent fare, you’ll have to look elsewhere. As I said earlier, it won’t win any awards, but it still is a fun monster movie that doesn’t quite live up to its potential, just check your mind at the door and you’ll be just fine.
3 out of 5 Pentagrams!
Watch the trailer for Poseidon Rex here,
