‘The Sand’ Review

If you are a fan of monster movies then you know that there are a lot that well and truly suck, but then a few gems that hit a certain point between entertaining and b-movie cheesiness. You just have to look at Sharknado for proof of that. The Sand is a new movie getting a release in the UK through the new FrightFest Presents label, and may just be one of those hidden gems waiting to be discovered.

The-Sand

After a night of partying a group of hung-over twenty-somethings awake to find that the beach surrounding them has suddenly turned carnivorous. Unable to take one step onto it, it’s not long before the beating sun forces their hand and they need to make a move. Will help come before it’s too late, or will The Sand consume them?

From the get-go The Sand does a lot right. It limits the number of people in the cast, restricts the location and creates a creature that is shielded in mystery. We do get to see hints of what it is, and of course to lead to the big finale we get to see more, but for the most part the focus is on making The Sand itself seem the deadly creature waiting to consume the young victims.

At the same time as having a good set-up, it also has some weaknesses that also work as surprising strengths. This is very much a b-movie monster flick in an old school sense. It doesn’t go over the top like so many other monster movies we see lately, if anything I’d compare it to Lake Placid in terms of impact. One thing you will notice though, especially early on is the certain cheesiness of the script and the questionable acting at times. As the cast number starts to dwindle though this does improve.

When looking at the performances, even though there are the moments I mentioned where the acting does feel questionable for the most part the acting is good enough. Stand out performances for me include Cleo Berry as Gilbert, a character that gets caught away from the main clump of victims. Surprisingly the audience start to care for this lovable character more than the rest and you really wish that he’d survive. Along with him other performances worthy of note include Brooke Butler, Meagan Holder and Dean Geyer. Jamie Kennedy’s cameo appearance as the Beach Patrol guy is also amusing, and well placed.

The Sand is a movie that knows exactly what it is, and that is a b-movie. If you are looking for a fun monster movie with an actual interesting creature, then this one is for you. It may have its moments where the acting is questionable and the script is slightly cheesy, but what b-movie doesn’t? In a way that is part of the charm of films like this. If you are a creature feature fan, then The Sand is well worth checking out.

The Sand is released on VOD in the UK from October 19th through FrightfestPresents.co.uk

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