Tuesday, October 31, 2023

October Horror Challenge 2023 #99: "Bathtub Shark Attack"

I've been impatiently waiting for this movie for years now. I had to wait for it to be shot, then edited, then go through post-production, then finally i got a copy of the DVD from my friend Maddie Deering, the director, in exchange for a review. Im stoked to finally be watching this movie today, and on Halloween too! It's perfect! This is supposed to be the gorriest shark movie of all time, or at least that was the goal upon making the movie, and that movie poster looks pretty gory to me. Now I know what you're probably thinking, "Bathtub shark attack? WTF?" And even before watching it, I can assure you that this movie wont be for everyone. If the title and the low-budgety look of the special effects make you look at me like I'm crazy for being excited to watch this movie, then the movie probably isn't for you. This is one of THOSE movies, like "Spirit Animal" or "Colonel Kill Motherfuckers," low budget shot on video for the fun and joy of making horror movies, these movies will either be a blast for you from start to finish, or you'll think I'm nuts for loving them. There's really no in-between here. I for one am excited to watch this movie and i can't wait to check it out.

A young couple, named Chad and Cindy, are down on their luck and looking for a place to live that's in their budget, which isn't much. One night, in a drunken stupor, Chad finds a flyer for an apartment that only costs $100 a week. It seems to be too good to be true, but they decide to go and check the place out anyway. As we savvy viewers have learned, a place that seems to be too good to be true usually is and will likely cost you your soul. Haven't these people ever seen a horror movie before? In the cold (and sober) light of day, Chad has doubts about whether he wants to take the apartment, but Cindy is tired of couch surfing among their friends and she insists that they rent the apartment, much to the delight of their new landlady Serena, who is excited about having some fresh new blood in the place. Soon they begin to regret their decision, however, when strange things start happening. Cindy seems to be obsessed with the bathtub in their new apartment (and we the viewers have already seen someone get attacked by a shark in the bathtub in the opening scene of the movie, so we know that it's dangerous). What will happen to Chad and Cindy? Will they be able to figure out the evil plot before it destroys them? Or will they fall victim to the shark creature that apparently lives in their pipes?

The plot of this movie makes me think of another movie called "The Sentinel" which is about a woman who moves into an apartment that seems too good to be true, and it turns out to be a portal to hell. Whoops. I think there are some people who would look at me crossways for saying this movie even has a plot, since it's ultra low-budget and mostly made as an homage to other horror movies. People made fun of me for saying "Spirit Animal" had a plot too, but it does. In this movie, the plot is mostly about being too poor to afford a good place to stay in this housing market, and how that affects people's decision making skills. i mean, do you think Chad and Cindy would have chosen to live in that creepy apartment if they could afford a better place? I remember not being able to afford an apartment and being homeless. It's more common than people think. Life is terrifying being poor, and that's what this movie is about, as much as it's about an evil shark creature that lives in the pipes and attacks people. One of my favorite quotes from the movie is:

Being pissed on makes me pissed off!

I had a blast with this movie, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to watch a fun little horror flick that doesn't take itself too seriously.

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