Up from the Depths
The staff and vacationers at a first-class resort on the island of Maui are beginning to mysteriously disappear. A biologist believes that an underwater earthquake has caused a giant and very hungry dormant prehistoric fish to be released from its slumber. The fish voraciously helps itself to a tourist buffet. Now it is open season for the local fishermen to find and kill the creature.
Why it matters
A late-70s creature feature that channels the era’s insatiable appetite for giant monster mayhem with a tropical twist.
- Practical effects-driven prehistoric fish terrorizes Maui’s sun-soaked shores—think Jaws meets low-budget kaiju.
- A biologist protagonist grounds the chaos in pseudo-science, tapping into that era’s fascination with nature gone awry.
- Perfect for fans of campy eco-horror and regional creature flicks that trade polish for palpable pulp charm.
- Not a masterpiece, but its earnestness and vintage VHS vibe make it a guilty pleasure for monster movie completists.
Director
Cast
Horror DNA
Gore
28
Slow Burn
17
Psychological
0
Supernatural
0
Creature
73
Disturbing
0
Fun Factor
50
Cerebral
0
Survival
66
