If nothing else, "Harpoon: Whale Watching Expedition"
wins the award for the year's best title. Luckily, there's more to it
than just that. The film represents Iceland's first attempt at a slasher
flick, and nice try, guys! Turns out the country has more to export
than just The Sugarcubes.
Created by lots of people with
accented Ús and Ós in their names, it throws together a multicultural
cast onto a tiny, grimy ship for some scenic whale-watching. It's not
the most ideal of trips — one woman gets seasick, another is nearly
raped — but things grow really worse when the captain (Gunnar Hansen,
the original Leatherface from "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre") is fatally
injured in a senseless accident.
Stranded in the ocean, the
hapless passengers soon get "rescued" and plopped on another boat, where
a demented, "Chain Saw"-esque family immediately lets them know they're
in "Hostel" territory by planting the business end of a hammer in the
forehead of one of them.
From there, it's an exercise in staying alive, staying alive. All this and a killer shark!
Although
infused with a little humor, this film is grim and gory. Don't be
confused by the somewhat nudge/wink title, as "Harpoon" indulges in
nautical nastiness with lots of spurting blood and no apologies. It's
not a genre standout, but better than your average DTV effort. Reel it
in. —Rod Lott
