Review of Leviathan (1989) by Matt B — 10 Jul 2010

Cheese fest extraordinaire !

Saw this piece of watchable crap when it came out in spring 1989.

Old school director George P Cosmatos ( Cassandra Crossing, Rambo 2, Cobra ) hired by Italian producers to orchestrate this waterlogged baloney about undersea workers ( Peter Weller, Daniel Stern, Hector Elizondo, Amanda Pays, Richard Crenna etc ( all cashing an easy paycheck ) battling a Russian virus that mutates its' victims, and combines their DNA with sea life, all at a hull crushing depth of about 1600 feet.

Stan Winston, had one of his off days, designing one of his most ludicrous, most phony looking creatures : a combo fish, squid, crab, eel, human mash monster, especially laughable its' full reveal in daylight.

Cosmatos at least knew his film was trash, and got into the groove including a scene where one of the crew arms themselves with hedge trimmers!!

And Cosmatos never shys away from zeroing in the awesome body of Amanda Pays ( whether showing her awesome ass in running scenes, her taking a shower, or showing Pays in her underwear for a medical exam ) Right on, dude !!

Plus side : producers did hire solid visual fx and on set fx people. And the production design of the underwater lab and suits are impressive.

The lousy script that does have one good moment : a truly funny line : cold top side executive Meg Foster trying to comfort her stranded crew via video conference :

Meg : " I understand, you must have gone through hell.".

Ernie Hudson's response " GONE ?? Bitch, we're still here ! ".

I laughed at that one.

The 1980's, ya gotta love it. Good times.

TRIVIA : one of three underwater disaster action epics released in 1989 ( the others : DeepStar Six, and The Abyss ).

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