THE TANK Is A Creature Feature That Delivers Screams, Scares, and A Compelling Cast Of Characters

Posted on April 17, 2023 by chrishammond54 in Film Reviews // 0 Comments

By Chris Hammond

Directed by: Scott Walker
Written by: Scott Walker
Produced by: Scott Walker
Creature Effects by: Weta Workshop – Richard Taylor
Cast: Luciane Buchanan, Matt Whelan, Zara Nausbaum, Regina Hegemann, Jack Barry, Holly Shervey

Rating: R
Run Time: 100 mins
Distributor: Well Go USA Entertainment

Ben (Whelan), his wife Jules (Buchanan), and their young daughter Reia (Nausbaum) live in Oakland, California in the year 1978. They run a pet store and are sinking into debt. This all changes when Ben inherits an abandoned coastal property from his estranged mother. The property holds more secrets of an ancient creature that lay dormant until Ben and his family accidentally awaken it. This creature has long tormented the entire region and is linked to family secrets which Ben will soon discover.

Scott Walker pulls triple duty as writer, director, and producer on THE TANK. His footprint is firmly evident in this “creature feature” and honestly, it is a prime example of someone showing their passion for a project they’ve developed. On the writing side, each character has dimensions and feels true to life. They react how one might when being attacked by an unknown creature. His direction takes a fresh look at a genre that has many entries, but this one has a very different tone that elevates the source material.

THE TANK has exceptional acting from fresh faces (at least to North American audiences), and viewers will be on the edge of their seats not knowing who or when characters may meet their demise. This really helps to ramp up the tension and is totally different from films with A-list stars you know are going pull through until a film’s credits roll.

Matt Whelan (Ben), Luciane Buchanan (Jules), and Zara Nausbaum (Reia) work so well in making the audience believe they are a family. They feel natural and react to things in a way family members would. Not only this but they also keep you rooting for them to survive the insidious creature(s) that want to cause their demise. They are the perfect cast members for this movie as the drama feels exceptionally real and the dialogue is delivered in a way that isn’t tacky.

Weta Workshop, whose work has become synonymous with excellence creates a creature that is original, believable, and freaking horrifying. This ancient amphibious creature cannot be negotiated with. The creature is a mixture of what I assume is practical effects and a person in a suit. The person in the suit is Regina Hegemann a contortionist out of New Zealand. To be very honest, I personally could not tell where or when the suit was in play in the film. The effects are just that surprising.

THE TANK is a well-executed film with a compelling story that doesn’t let up until the very end. Once the creature awakes, death and destruction follow. The cast will get the audience invested in their safety and root for the family to survive. The creature will have audiences gasping in horror and grasping their seats. This is one film that delivers the goods (the goods being a creature feature that is not only smart but also engaging). Be sure to stick it out until the mid-credits roll as there is one scene that may hint at other secrets to come.

Get ready for THE TANK – In Theaters April 21 & On Digital April 25