Dagon



Director - Stuart Gordon (Re-Animator, From Beyond)
Starring - Ezra Godden (Band of Brothers, Masters of Horror), Francisco Rabal (Talk of Angels, Moonfish), and Raquel Merono (Airbag, The Mark)
Release Date - 2001
Genre - Horror
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

      I've seen some amazing adaptations of H.P. Lovecraft's work over the years.  In fact, these adaptations are some of my favorite horror films.  Sadly, not all of his adaptations are fun.  There has been several attempts at his work and they failed miserably because they struggled to understand the concept of the story.  Lovecraft tends to not be straight forward.  The themes in his work are what makes his stories so much fun.  When I was in high school Stuart Gordon tackled Dagon.  I had read the story in middle school and was curious how the man that directed the near perfect Re-Animator would tackle this.  Umbrella Entertainment recently released the film on blu and was kind enough to send it my way with some amazing cover art. 

     The film follows couple who suffer a boating accident near Spain.  They leave two friends behind and travel to land for help and come across an isolated fishing town with unusual inhabitants.  They go different directions.  She goes to look for the police and he goes with a group of fishermen to get their friends but he quickly discovers that this small town is not as it seems and they are linked to his horrible nightmares centered around a mermaid with sharp teeth. 

     Dagon is one of the rare instances where the adaptation is not bad but easily forgettable.  I really enjoy Dagon and I always find myself having fun when I watch it but I tend to forget about it fairly quickly.  The acting in this one is fantastic.  I really enjoy Ezra Godden in this role.  He does an amazing job as the unconventional lead.  He's great and I feel like he was underutilized.  The supporting cast is phenomenal as well.  The characters are well written and attention to detail can be seen with each of them.  Their backstories, mannerisms, and how they handle themselves is all fun.  The story for this one is great but does feel a little repetitive as the film progresses.  I really liked the ancient cult angle and how the townspeople are slowing becoming sea-creatures after breeding with Dagon but the one man being chased through the town for most of the film does feel like lazy writing.  I get that this film is two short stories mashed together but it does drag on at times with these filler scenes added in.  Finally, this isn't a bloody horror flick but the film does showcase some fantastic practical effects.  The aquatic people look fantastic and I love how they were approached.  Sadly, there is some pretty rough looking CGI scattered throughout.  Overall, Dagon is a solid film and perfect for the Halloween season but you will find yourself quickly forgetting it.