Deadly Species (2002)

An expedition to find the fountain of youth in the Florida Everglades runs afoul of vicious big-mouthed predatory monsters. Director Daniel Springen, working from a blithely pulpy script by Bull Suchy and Rory Penland, relates the enjoyably cheesy story at a brisk pace, makes sturdy use of the dense secluded swampland locations, builds a substantial amount of tension, pulls out the thrilling stops for the lively conclusion, and tosses in a few nice naked boobies and an okay sprinkling of gore for good measure. The acceptable acting by the competent cast keeps the picture humming, with sound work by Pete Penuel as likable college professor Dr. Brinson Thomas, Allison Adams as Brinson's spunky wife Marta, Brian Minyard as slimy millionaire big-game hunter Wilson Friels, Jeff Brozovich as Wilson's menacing flunky Derek Neal, Britt George as macho photographer Laird Kleeger, William Cefalo as the amiable Todd Bender, Smara Ibanez as the foxy and jealous Nichelle, Heather Petrone as the cute and sweet Lori, and Kristina Moore as the fetching and sassy Allison. Stephen Campbell's slick cinematography makes energetic use of a Steadicam and gives the movie an impressive polished look. Jon Greathouse's throbbing tribal score hits the stirring and spirited spot. Moreover, the rubbery man-a-suit beasts possess a certain funky retro 50's creature feature charm and the film overall radiates a winningly earnest quality that's impossible to dislike. A fun little flick.

Now, this most definitely is some sort of "Predator" rip-off. Only, it should have been called "Deadly Chattings (in the Everglades)". Because all the characters in this movie do, is bore you to death by talking and walking around in some jungle. It lasts more than 45 minutes before we finally see a good look at the Predator-like creature. I must admit, this movie at least was better made than the hilariously abominable "Unseen Evil 2 (aka Alien 3000)" and "Alien 51". It even looked a little bit better (more bland & polished) and the cast more or less tried to act this time. The story at least tried to be a bit more serious (though still extremely clichéd and tedious). In the first 10 minutes we already see not one, but two different pairs of naked breasts. And even though the first 80 minutes are pretty much a waste of time, the conclusion during the last 5 minutes was amusing and the best part of the whole movie. The creature-suit and make-up was decent, even though its facial expression looked as dumb as your average Neanderthal. There, at least I did my best to give you some positives about this film.

Deadly Species brings some less-than-acclaimed movies to mind. Congo, The Bog Creatures and Jurassic Park III all share some plot elements. Fortunately, Deadly Species succeeds in bringing home a polished, fulfilling horror flick, where the others-to varying degrees-failed.SPOILERS HEREINDS features Pete Penuel as Dr. Brinson Thomas, a noted archaeologist. His wife and fellow professor, Marta (Allison Adams) are turned down for a grant to fund an archaeological dig in the Everglades. Shortly thereafter, however, one of his university's leading donors, millionaire Wilson Friels (Brian Minyard) offers to fund a very similar expedition. The only catch is that he and his loyal assistant (who must go unnamed since IMDb for some reason lists only about half the cast!) are going with them.Of course, like in JP3, he has a secret motive for going. He had previously sent an expedition there, in search of the legendary Fountain of Youth and a Calusa ‘Gate to Hell' he has read about in ancient Spanish journals. (The Calusa was an ancient Native American tribe that Brinson Thomas has spent his career researching. Most think it has been extinct since mid-19th century; Dr. Thomas is convinced otherwise.) Like in Congo, Friels suspects something grizzly has happened to the first team. Just like in JP3, one wonders why he doesn't simply come clean with the good doctor up front. The Thomas' would probably still have gone-but would have picked a crew better prepared to defend itself against a hideous unknown assailant.I am surprised by the low rating for DS. Although it does bear surface similarity to these lowly regarded films, it is really quite well-crafted. Whereas The Bog Creatures winds up being (intentionally or not) a campy tribute to early 1950s B horror flicks, and whereas Congo and JP3 have some aspect that irritates the viewer to distraction (i.e., talking monkeys, wise and misunderstood raptors and screaming mothers), Deadly Species delivers what is promised.Director Daniel Springen shows a deft touch and Jon Greathouse's original scores are perfect to convey an eerie Gothic mood in the marshy underbrush. Unlike TBC, Springen does not completely give away his creature in the beginning. Only by inches at a time do we begin to see the hideous face of the thing stalking the researchers. This is no B horror flick. There is very little, if any cheese, here. Springen delivers a stylishly done horror film with all the desired elements.The movie's weakness would have to be the decision to insert a couple of generic college bimbos for unneeded topless shots and pouting. I could never keep the three girls straight during my one viewing. None of the students are much more than creature bait. Still, the adults in the virtually unknown cast more than rally to pick up the slack. Penuel and Adams are quite convincing as the husband-and-wife archaeology duo. (One wishes they would have left at least one of the bimbo students at home and redivided the air time proportionately.) Minyard and his muscle-bound helper are also very well-done. I had no trouble buying either of their characters. The flakey photographer, Laird Kleeger (Britt George) is intriguing, but underused. Somehow he and Adams seemed to have known each other in the past; yet this is never explained. Also a bit puzzling is a reference in the `official' synopsis that Dr. Thomas was in the process of morphing into a creature himself after he apparently cut his arm on the infected remains of one victim-although he and his wife both believed he was dying of poison from the creature (like the Komoda Dragon). Either could have been the case; if he WERE turning into a creature, it seems bizarre that the Fountain of Youth water would reverse the process.Despite a few questionable turns in the plot-including the bizarre ending, Deadly Species is entertaining and scary. It's no 3.3; call it a good, solid 7 that could have been an 8 with a little help.

I've read so much about 'B' movies not being really serious. And everytime I watch one, it gives lie to the statement. Congo, Anaconda are just two of the movies in my opinion that this film tried to draw from. Miserably though.