Dinoshark [DVD]

Roger Corman proves you're never too old to make a cheesy bad movie, unleashing Dinoshark on an unsuspecting world. After spending the last 150 million years or so frozen in a block of ice, the creature (basically a shark with the head and scales of a dinosaur) decides he is more than due for a vacation and sets off for the sun and fun of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Like any tourist, Dinoshark overindulges himself in the local cuisine, takes part in a number of outdoor activities, and just has a great old time. Even though his trademark killing move includes jumping out of the water, only one man ever manages to see him - local boat operator Trace McGraw (Eric Balfour). Authorities blame the first few deaths on a tiger shark - and then they apparently just stop caring, no matter how many people disappear or die. They are apparently more concerned with drug smuggling (yeah, right) than a rash of local deaths. There's certainly no Mexican equivalent to Roy Scheider's character in Jaws running around yelling "Get out of the water!" Instead, it's game on for all the excursion boats, parasailers, jet skiers, and swimmers - and nothing is going to stop the big regatta festival. In other words, it's feeding time at the Dinoshark corral.

Unfortunately for Dinoshark, it makes the mistake of eating the bottom half of one of Trace's friends - that makes it personal for him and mutual friend Carol Brubaker (Iva Hasperger), a tall, blonde Princeton graduate who supposedly teaches but spends most of her time coaching girls' water polo, hanging out in a seedy bar, studying marine biology just for the fun of it, and holding off the advances of creepy old men. Together, Trace and Carol set out to find and kill the creature. With what, you ask? Well, it seems that any Mexican can borrow all kinds of heavy equipment from the military - and the local bar owner is Mexican. Carol also has connections with a local scientist (played by none other than Roger Corman himself) who might be able to determine the creature's vulnerabilities.

The special effects of Dinoshark are both good and bad. On the bad side, it's obviously a computer generated creature, and some of the shots of it swimming along tend to be on the repetitive side. On the other hand, many of the killings are of the up close and personal variety, with Dinoshark clasping victims in its jaws and taking them down to their bloody deaths. We're also treated to several shots of gory remains, which I certainly appreciated. In the end, it doesn't really matter that the creature looks smaller than it should or that what should be the most spectacular scene in the film lacks any excitement whatsoever - the special effects are still a positive, as far as I'm concerned.

If you're a fan of the "awesomely awful made-for-TV movie genre" or happy traveler in the schlock-filled world of sci-fi B-movies, you're probably going to enjoy Dinoshark. It's a heck of a lot better than a lot of the low-budget movies Roger Corman has made over the years. It's true that there's a lot of bad acting on display among the supporting cast (including Corman), but I think Balfour and Hasperger actually do a pretty good job carrying the movie on their shoulders. This is just a good, low-budget monster movie made in the old B-movie tradition, and I quite enjoyed watching it.

Dinoshark, a creature unleashed by global warming in alaska, (now we know why people want us to turn our washing machine temperatures lower), has travelled to warmer waters to begin a feast of 150 million years.

luckily, EXACTLY the same time the dinoshark arrives, so does our hero- Trace (Eric Balfour), returning to tell stories of his open sea adventures.

i must point out one mistake, only B-movie directors wouldnt recognize, one minute, trace has stubble, in the next scene, nearly a full beard, and the scene after than...STUBBLE! classic B-movie stuff! love it!

The shark, or dinoshark, begins feasting on his friend, and a couple of high flyers, before Trace can do something about it!

Will he? Or will another unlikey source kill the beast...add to basket to find out, cos i aint telling you ;)

all i can say is....i loved it!

IF YOU LIKE FISHY SCI FI STORIES THEN YOU SHOULD ENJOY THIS ONE.
THE STORY IS QUITE WELL PUT TOGETHER AND THERE IS LOTS OF ACTION SOUND QUALITY IS VERY GOOD AND PICTURE QUALITY IS GREAT.
I WILL NOT TELL YOU ABOUT THE STORY BUT THAT WILL SPOIL THE FILM . FOR THE AVERAGE SCI FI ENTHUSIAST. IT MAKES AN IDEAL ADDITION TO YOUR COLLECTION.
THE OLD HIGHFLYER. **** ENJOY *****