Leviathan

Leviathan is one of those films that has "rip-off" written all over it.

Alot of it you've seen before in better films. The most obvious comparisons being Alien ( several isolated crew members, the dubious doctor, the suits etc.) and of course The Thing (a gooey monster spawned from human beings, it getting to the blood supply). I've viewed this one a few times and although it is an inferior movie it does have some pretty neat special effects, a recognizable cast and a decent music score by Jerry Goldsmith.

Not a total wet squib - it certainly has its moments. I'd give it 7/10.

An interesting case for sci-fi fans and a missed opportunity for the director, having a generally decent cast, a sufficient budget and a story, let's say 'not overused enough for that time'. The totally obvious Alien rip-off is technically surprisingly well executed and pleases with almost top notch set designs and very good creature effects. Now that all this didn't make an absolutely satisfying, or actually even really good sci-fi movie can be blamed on the lack of tight pacing in the script, occasionally bad editing or I guess generally the rather inconsistent lead of George P. Cosmatos, resulting uncalled-for moments of amateur filmmaking entering into a movie otherwise to be taken serious. These then start accumulating and gradually getting out of control as the movie gains speed (among others resulting conversations on the subjects of popcorn and puzzles) and then ultimately explode into a 5 minute orgy of total C-Movie crap, actually even added after the anyways forgettable climax of the movie (how the hell did that happen by the way?). Otherwise, we can say, that the first 2/3rd of the movie is pretty okay, not counting a few minor downers and then gradually messes up in the finale. In the end you decide weather it was worth watching or not. Though for genre fans I guess this is absolutely obligatory.

The first half of "Leviathan" is competently made and surprisingly absorbing, with strongly drawn characters and good acting all around. In the second half, the film degenerates into an "Alien" rip-off (and later on, it even steals a classic scene from "Jaws"), with derivative special effects and too many familiar elements. But it is saved (and gets 6/10) by Cosmatos' professionalism; he certainly redeems himself here for making the absolutely terrible "Cobra" three years earlier.

Leviathan is directed by George P. Cosmatos and then screenplay is written by David Webb Peoples & Jeb Stuart from Peoples' own story. It stars Peter Weller, Richard Crenna, Amanda Pays, Daniel Stern, Ernie Hudson, Michael Carmine, Lisa Eilbacher, Hector Elizondo & Meg Foster.

Let me start off by saying that the rating I have given is purely for personal reasons, I love daft creature features and rate them accordingly. Artistically the film scores about the average mark of 5/10, the acting, story and effects really don't demand much better unless you have got a soft spot for the genre. Tagged as Alien underwater, the film was always going to struggle to live up to that particular tag for sure, but yes, in structure that is what we get. A group of deep-sea miners come across a wrecked soviet ship and after plundering what they can they end up with more than they bargained for. Enter the plot of deep-sea miners under attack from a very bad and creepy monster. Will they survive? How did it happen? And on it goes to a joyously (unintentionally) funny finale. The film crams as many creature feature clichés in as it can get away with, and sure enough the boo jump scare moments are not in short supply.

The cast are all in on the joke (I'm pretty sure they are), so all in all you get a flipping great genre entry that isn't demanding much of the viewer, that is if you are so inclined to check the brain at the door first. So enjoy a B lister that has no pretensions other than to homage and entertain those of a certain persuasion. Quite a cast of pro actors assembled as well. 7/10

Ah, yes, underwater sci-fi (and horror). From 'The abyss,' to 'SeaQuest,' to 2020's 'Underwater,' and everything in between, the niche genre has been a darling of enterprising filmmakers and studio executives. Reliably solid production design and art direction, robust effects and enticing designs for any associated creatures or entities, large casts, swell scores from well-known composers - 1989's 'Leviathan' fits the bill neatly. It really does look and sound great, and one notes what seems to me to be a fairly large budget to capitalize on what was at the time quite a trend in film. I'm not saying it's the most wholly engaging and essential of pictures, but this is a pretty good time all the same.

To repeat myself a bit, the contributions of all those behind the scenes are terrific. Costume design, hair and makeup work, effects practical and digital, props and weapons, set design and decoration, lighting, and all other such elements are superb; the facilities of the mining operation are a feast for the eyes. Direction, cinematography, editing, and the fundamentals of film-making are tight, with fine production values. There are recognizable names and faces among the ensemble, and I think everyone on hand gives swell performances.

More substantively, I think the screenplay is pretty capable in general. Characters and dialogue sometimes leave a bit to be desired, but the narrative is pretty strong, even if it's familiar in broad strokes. The scene writing is the best part of David Peoples and Jeb Stuart's contribution, with light humor in the suitable exposition that quickly gives way to growing mystery and mounting horror. And that's really the key: one could assess every little aspect day in and day out, but at the end of the day the real question is how effectively the sci-fi horror is realized - and in my opinion it's splendidly strong in 'Leviathan.' Yes, one can immediately discern clear inspiration from very famous previous titles, in multiple instances to the point of pure mimicry. That's a sure mark against this, but taken in and of itself the marine monster movie is stimulating and satisfying. The picture is filled with tinges of body horror, flashes of action-horror, and an abundance of creature feature fun. All the blood and gore, prosthetics, and fabricated creature effects are outstanding; for the strength of these alone I'd say 'Leviathan' is worth watching.

What it all comes down to for me is that by and large I think this is perfectly entertaining, with fantastic exploration of what sci-fi horror could be in the underwater setting. While it's imperfect in the first place, the biggest limiting factor is simply how how the picture undeniably borrows. If you've seen John Carpenter's 'The thing,' and if you've seen Ridley Scott's 'Alien,' then there's no small amount of George P. Cosmatos' 'Leviathan' that's going to feel recycled. It looks, sounds, and feels good, but the comparisons are so significant that they distinctly distract and detract from the viewing experience. I suppose on that note that the good news is, if you're approaching this with virginal eyes, it's going to be better still. For whatever issues it may bear, though, this is still a flick that's a sturdy recommendation for fans of the cast, and for the genre overall. So long as you don't mind abject parroting, 'Leviathan' is satisfyingly enjoyable, and not a bad way to spend 100 minutes.