Grimmfest 2019 Film Feature - Harpoon

Runtime: 84 mins

Directed by: #RobGrant

Starring: #MunroChambers, #EmilyTyra, #ChristopherGray, #BrettGelman

Grimmfest Feature by: Darren Tilby

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Synopsis: When Richard’s girlfriend Sasha and best friend Jonah give him a spear gun for his birthday, he wants to try it out straight away. The three of them set out for a day trip on a boat, but suspicion and jealousy soon start to get the upper hand. When the boat’s engine fails with no supplies on board, a nerve-wracking struggle for survival ensues that spares nobody’s secrets – or blood.

Grimmfest say: There are times – and situations – where three is most definitely a crowd. The latest from Grimmfest favourite Rob Grant is a slippery, spit-vicious take on such boat-based psycho-dramas as KNIFE IN THE WATER, PLEIN SOLEIL and DEAD CALM. Tight, gripping, and shot through with a rich vein of deadpan,  pitch-black comedy, it’s not quite a horror film, more what the French would call a “conte cruel” – a cruel tale: darkly funny, morally outrageous, and mean-spirited as hell. It’s beautifully played by a strong cast, headed by TURBO KID’s Munro Chambers, with deft characterisation – and character shifts – and witty, credible dialogue. The laconic, objective voiceover, commenting on the action, is the icing on the cake.

What I'm Expecting: Quite why anyone would buy their friend/boyfriend a spear gun for their birthday is beyond me, but it sounds as though Richard’s friends may regret it in the long run. Dwindling supplies and a claustrophobic setting would be enough to strain even the most steady of friendships, but when you throw jealousy and paranoia into the mix, things are bound to get nasty. And by the sound of things, that’s what we’re going to get. A nasty and bloody character drama.

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