Bad Fish is the Horror Movie We Didn’t Know We Needed

Bad Fish, which came out last year, is an indie-horror thriller that explores a new and exciting twist on classic deep-sea movies. Directed by Brad Douglas, the movie follows Dr. John Burton, a marine biologist, as he tries to find out why there are so many local fishermen disappearing. He then makes a chilling discovery, where we find out what’s really going on.

 

Our Fascination with the Deep

Bad Fish is interesting for a few reasons. First of all, it helps to portray our fascination with the deep. The ocean is full of mystery, and it’s also uncharted territory. Settings like this help to pave the way for a lot of creativity and provide the perfect backdrop for a thrilling horror movie. Classics like Jaws have explored this concept before, with The Reef and The Meg also highlighting the dangers of the deep.

Even games have touched on it, with the release of Shark Simulator. Modern media has also showcased other sea creatures, including fish. The release of Big Bass Splash, for example, features numerous species of fish, alongside buckets of chum and the much-loved fisherman. He’s consistent throughout the game series. This pays homage to the fact that we are dependent on the ocean to provide us with a supply of fish. With that said, the ocean has several unseen dangers, something which Bad Fish explores very well. In the movie, we see disfigured sea mermaids, which are portrayed as a deadly force. This adds another layer to the dangers of the deep concept, but at the same time, reimagines traditional folklore.

A New Twist on a Classic Theme

The horror movie Bad Fish provides a classic twist on a tried-and-tested formula. Ocean movies have always done well, and our fascination with them largely comes down to the fact that a lot of the ocean is yet to be explored.

Even though mermaids have been shown as being mysterious and captivating creatures in the past, taking things one step further by making them vicious and bloodthirsty has helped to add a lot of tension to the movie. This has been done before, with Mermaid Down. Sure, the screenwriter could have gone down the route of a deadly shark or even an undocumented sea creature that’s been alive for hundreds of years, but at the same time, it’s the unexpected that helps to add allure to horror movies. Narratives like this, that push the boundaries and explore new concepts, help to pave the way for new and interesting developments within the deep-sea world. It also helps to attract new audiences, as new ideas often draw people to horror even though they might not have been a fan of the genre. As movies like this come out, it also paves the way for fresh ideas.

With the world of horror changing so much as time goes on, it’s very interesting to see how new takes are approaching classic themes. With Bad Fish being a hit with fans, we might even see a sequel from it yet.