Harpoon
Review By Sharon Foss
Visitors to Iceland tend explore the local culture and revel in the natural wonders of the beautiful land. Many also partake on whale watching tours before departing back to their home lands. That is how Harpoon begins. Director Júlíus Kemp and writer Sjón Sigurdsson bring us an 84-minute, unrated slay fest in Iceland, where everything seems just a bit more surreal.
A hodge podge group of travelers are aboard a boat set out to watch whales. Unfortunately, there are a few on the boat who are up to no good. One prankster’s joke goes too far, leaving the captain incapacitated. Another tries assaulting a female passenger. This leads me to decide that I don’t care what whales there are—this trip is not worth it! Especially when, without their captain, they find themselves lost at sea with no clue on how to get back to land.
Ahoy! A tugboat appears! A sigh of relief shudders through everyone. Little do they know, however, that they are much better off drifting out to sea than getting on that tugboat. What they encounter on this tugboat is a small, close-knit family unit. So close, in fact, that those who lay together, slay together! But hey, as long as it’s in the family and everyone is on the same page, it’s okay. It’s the disagreements you have to be mindful of!
The movie stars Pihla Viitala, Nae Yuuki, Terrence Anderson and Miranda Hennessy. The bloody tale is nonstop action, spurting blood and all. Definitely a fun watch if it’s a chilly day and you want to keep warm indoors. While you may be chilled to the bone by the actions of this deranged killing family, you have to appreciate some of the work within the film. For example, the lovely cinematography of a silhouetted harpooned man hanging from the side of the boat as the sun is setting really enables you to enjoy the view of the beautiful country, don’t you think?
The moral of this story is to never travel, ever. HA! No, maybe not, but so many horror movies are based on a simple formula. People + Foreign Land ÷ Crazy Foreigner-hating Lunatics = Bloodbath. Is this a typical movie then? You bet it is. Is it worth watching? Sure—you won’t be bored!
