A good little movie if you can get past the brutality

There’s just something so brutal about the Australian Outback horror. Only this one was on the open ocean.

It starts off brutal, with almost B-level absurdity. I was prepared for low-budget ridiculousness, but it’s quite well done…if you’re into that sorta thing.

Much of the violence is visceral and unflinching, particularly when it comes to our MC, Zephyr (of all names). She has to survive over and over again. Every time you think she’s gotten away, nope! Snatched back again. This woman endures a shitton: being handcuffed to a bed, knowing she’s going to be fed to the sharks (having watched it happen, of course), the breaking and ultimate ripping off (with her teeth).

The villain makes things worse with his method, videotaping the women as they are torn apart by a swarm of sharks. Turns out, he’s done this like 40 times. He drugs them, cuts a lock of their hair to make a fucking fly lure, and then reverently puts them in a locked cabinet in his boat. Does he stream these for money? WTF. He clearly likes watching them, but it feels less like Black Market greed and more like sick fascination. Ew.

Despite the ultraviolence, there’s a sweetness to the story. Zephyr says no one would be looking for her, but her one(?)-night-stand goes looking for her when he doesn’t spot her out on the waves. He makes it to the end. Barely. Or that’s what you hope, because it ends when Zephyr flags down a party boat.

The title of this movie is clearly in reference to its main villain, The Captain. You actually see little of what’s happening below the surface. Except for when the Big Daddy shark all but winks at Zephyr, which is honestly kind of funny, and an interesting way to incorporate sharks. It makes the end more satisfying when the shark avenges the Final Girl.

If you can stomach the brutality of it, it’s not a bad watch.