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Eye Of The Beast
R1 - America - Genius Products Review written by and copyright: Rob Fields (13th April 2008). |
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The Film
 Another day, another horror DVD up for review. This time it’s a title that’s part of the ‘Maneater Series’ from Genius Products. When I got this in the mail and tore open the envelope, it was immediately that this would be another made-for-TV movie. Sort of like another such title I reviewed not too long ago from this same line – “Croc” (2007). The thing I’ve been noticing about these titles is that they sort of play out like a schlocky B-movie. Okay, they don’t have the out-there goofiness that comes with movies released/made by the Troma Team or Full Moon Pictures, but they basically have a style all their own. At least these Genius Products titles have a serious plot. I’m thinking this was probably originally broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel at some point. This film certainly has that feel. However, I saw that James Van Der Beek from “Dawson’s Creek” (1998-2003) and “Varsity Blues” (1999) is headlining this movie. The way I see it, either he’s not quite the A-list actor that he once was or he’s hard-up for a paycheck. Hard to say. Still, we’ll see how this movie pans out. “Eye of the Beast” (1:30:05) – The Tales are True! In a small fishing village, panic and fear are spreading as legend of a giant underwater beast grows. When government scientist Dan Leland (James Van Der Beek) is sent to investigate the murky waters, he soon uncovers a sea monster beyond anything he could have ever imagined – complete with massive tentacles and a taste for human blood. James Van Der Beek and Alexandra Castillo are probably the movie’s only redeeming qualities. They seem to be the only two who can actually act. The rest of the characters seem bland, not really putting a lot of effort into their lines. At least you can tell that the two leads are into their characters. I guess what I’m trying to say here is that they are quite convincing. You can see the emotions that they are displaying, including their fears and doubts. Their characters are placed in different positions (Castillo’s character is the sheriff of her town), but they both convey that they have their backs up against the wall, for different reasons. Aside from these characters, there really isn’t much else to like. The major downsides are that the movie is predictable. When the opening scene plays out, there’s the young couple sitting together out on the boat, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out what’s about to happen next. Those of us who are into horror films and/or may have read "The Horror Movie Survival Guide" (by Matteo Molinari and Jim Kamm) will pretty much know what rules the characters are breaking that will get them killed. Another predicable scenario is when you see the family walking out onto the beach. Gee, do you think something’s gonna happen...? And then later somebody asks, “Is he dead?” Hilarious!!! Still, if you’re into schlock or this type of B-movie, then you’ll probably get a few good laughs out of it. If you’re looking for a good A-list or independent film plot, you’re not going to find it here. Also, if you’re a gore-hound, this isn’t going to be your movie either. In most cases, the plot is not original. There have certainly been plenty of water monster/sea creature films out there. It attacks a nearby down, feeding only on unsuspecting prey. Then they call in a law official or a scientist to deal with it. Finally, when the town’s had enough, they decide to go after it. Gee, does this sound similar to say...“Jaws” (1975). Now that I think about it, it almost follows along the same lines as “Croc”. At least “Croc” was more enjoyable than this. My final word: If you’re looking for a good B-movie or a creature feature, you’d be better off looking elsewhere. “Eye of the Beast” is definitely not worth your hard-earned money, both as a rental OR a purchase.
Video
The film is presented in anamorphic widescreen format (1.85:1 ratio), which is the original aspect ratio of its original television exhibition (according to the back cover). The transfer looks really nice, as do most of the releases from Genius Products tend to be. The colors stand out really well without any signs of compression issues or blemishes. It’s possible that this was formatted for High Definition (the water certainly shows off detail well on my HDTV). There is a chapter selection menu, which is the ONLY other option on the Main Menu besides playing the movie.
Audio
The film features an English Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo soundtrack. The audio mix sounds just slightly close to a 2.0 Dolby surround track. The dialogue can be heard okay, but the music is subtle. One doesn’t overshadow the other elements of this track, which is a good thing. There are no optional subtitles available.
Extras
There is only a single bonus trailer, which can only be seen before the Main Menu and is for: - "Genius Products Maneater Series" promo spot which runs for 1 minute 27 seconds.
Packaging
This disc is packaged in an amaray case housed in a cardboard slip-case.
Overall
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