Humanoids from the Deep

Jeff Yonis – 1996 – USA

Brutally bad remake of a film that wasn’t very good in the first place.  I’m still not sure that the 1980 version of Humanoids from the Deep deserves to be called a “cult classic,” but it is, for better or worse.  What about it warranted a remake also remains a mystery to me; but whatever…  This one benefits somewhat from a more deliberately campy tone and a few name actors like Robert Carradine and… well Robert Carradine.  (Fans of the singing McCain Brothers will enjoy seeing them as the villain’s thugs.)  Oh yes; and Emma Sams.  Ridiculous effects and performances abound as the toxic-waste-bred mutants rise from the depths to maul swimmers and appropriate women to give birth to their baby mutants.  Granted only 16 years elapsed between the two versions, but you’d think there’d be some visible signs of improvement either in effects, storytelling, direction or acting in a remake, but nope, there ain’t.  But it definitely belongs in the “so bad it’s good” category, not “so bad it’s unwatchable.”