Leviathan

Starring:Peter Weller, Richard Crenna, Amanda Pays, Daniel Stern, Ernie Hudson, Michael Carmine (II), Lisa Eilbacher, Hector Elizondo, Meg Foster, Eugene Lipinski, Larry Dolgin, Pascal Druant, Steve Pelot
Director: George P. Cosmatos
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

The expression "an ugly drunk" takes on a whole new meaning when the thirsty crew of an American deep-sea mining station investigates a mysteriously capsized, Russian wreck and brings back some experimental vodka that turns the unlucky imbiber into a plasma-craving fish creature. (Has there ever been a better reason for abstinence?) Although this "Aliens meets 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea" story doesn't add anything new to the classic horror and sci-fi formulas that it so obviously borrows from, it's a fun monster film all the same, with impressive, gnarly effects, a better-than-expected cast (Peter Weller and a scene-stealing Ernie Hudson are the standouts), and an insanely detailed production design by Alien veteran Ron Cobb. Director George P. Cosmatos went on to direct Tombstone. --Andrew Wright

Description

Plunge into this go-for-the-jugular sci-fi thriller starring Peter Weller (Robocop) and Richard Crenna (Rambo). Featuring nonstop action, nerve-shattering suspense and awesome creaturesfrom the OscarÂ(r)-winning* special effects wizard (Stan Winston) who brought dinosaurs to life in Jurassic Park and The Lost World, this terrifying underwater adventure will scare you senseless! On the dark and forbidding ocean floor, the crew of a deep-sea mining rig discovers a sunken freighter that harbors a deadly secret: a genetic experiment gone horribly wrong. With a storm raging on the surface and no hope of rescue, the captain (Weller) and his team are propelled into a spine-tingling battle for survival against the ultimate foea hideous monster thatcannot die...and lives to kill! *1986: Visual Effects, Aliens; 1991: Visual Effects and Makeup, Terminator 2: Judgment Day; 1993: Visual Effects: Jurassic Park

Customer Reviews:

leviathan.......2007-03-15

GOOD SCI-FI FLICK UPDATING VIDEO COLLECTION HAD IT ON VHS AND WANTED IT ON DVD.

Leviathan.......2007-01-10

Again, not up to par with todays special effects, but really good all the same. I'm a sucker for the horror movies of the 80's and early 90's. I have to put this one above Deep Star Six, although that was a terrific movie also. Leviathan will have you jumping and scared.

I like this movie.......2007-01-09

People in a mine the people make up the seamonster. One person get sick, one by one everyone is sick, just like the box that sixpack finds in a sunkon ship.

Silly and funny underwater version of "Alien" that still works.......2006-11-16

Coming in the late 1980s with all the momentum sprung from the "Alien" original and first repeat, "Leviathan" sought to take the alien model underwater, where a group of trash collectors fights on-board monsters with saws and flamethrowers.

The producers of this film knew a good model when they found it and obviously allowed the audience to laugh at their copycat ways by creating aliens that alternately look like tongues with teeth and moving intestines. There's also a paean to the real "Alien" near the end that Peter Weller does away with by squishing it's head in an elevator shaft.

And, in the final scene, you won't believe how hokey and stupid this kind of movie could be just a few years before the advent on high tech and high gloss computerization became de riguer in this type of thing. It's worth it to sit through the whole thing just to see that unbelievably dumb final scene.

Weller "starred" in this vehicle two years after his biggest hit, 1987's "RoboCop". This didn't do much for his reputation even though the cast included some great eye candy in Amanda Pays and the steely blue eyes of Meg Foster. A solid supporting cast headed by the great Richard Crenna, Ernie Hudson and Hector Elizondo offer a high level of acting credibility.

Still, they can't make sense of this mishmash which, oddly and fantastically, still works as horror. Leonard Maltin says to, "Skip it" on this one but I'd disagree. I think there's enough humor, whether intentional or unintentional, eye candy, schlock horror and fine acting to give you your money's worth. It didn't work as a big release in the theater but it's pretty good entertainment on a Tuesday night on your home system.

Beware of the latex leg...........2006-05-27

Plot synapsis: Underwater mining rig, day 87 of a 90 day tour, goof-off sexist jerk wanders off and finds a sunken Russian freighter.

The cast consists of Peter Weller as the geologist boss, Richard Crenna as the semi-doctor and crewed by Ernie Hudson (who gets some of the best lines and steals his scenes), Amanda Pays (and her annoyingly fake accent) Daniel Stern, Michael Carmine, an adorable Lisa Eilbacher, Meg Foster (what IS it about her eyes? And why was she trying so hard to do a crappy acting job?), and the wonderful Hector Elizondo.

After ALIEN did the haunted house in space so successfully there were a lot of immitators. Then we had a few underwater adventures which did fairly well in a vauge sort of way. Think of this as a cheap way of combining both. Except for Pays and Foster, we have a group of really fine actors working in an underwater mining facility.

Personal note: Seriously, if this had been real and I was Pays' charactor I would have severly hurt the Stern character. His behavior was borish to the point of distracting from the movie and something no decent boss would have allowed.

Anyway, the movie cover said the magic words: GENETIC MUTATION! I was hooked, as always. Pays and Stern are outside doing their job when Stern wanders off (why?) and falls off a cliff. Movie goers probably cheered at that point. Pays goes after him, wandering through fakey looking sea worms and finds the Russian freighter. I liked the scary fish that pops up in Pays' face. Stern shows up with a huge safe, carrying it like it weighs 20 pounds instead of several hundred and they head back.

The safe contains a lot of 'personal effects' from deceased crewmembers which should have triggered a lot more concern than it did. Sterns character slips out a flask of vodka and hides it. Eilbacher's character sees him do it, and later talks him into sharing it with her. Because of the extreme danger of the job, alcohol is not permitted there.

Eventually the Crenna figures out the Russians were doing GENETIC EXPERIMENTATION (I love this stuff) on it's own crew by doctoring their vodka. By the time Crenna comes up with that of course, Stern and Eilbacher are already infected. It hits Stern first, and hardest, then things begin getting out of control.

Up to this point the movie does quite well. It's best effects were, unfortunately, the ones you don't see, using shadow and noise. As good as the cast mostly was, the sets, the production, etc., the special effects were really substandard. Or to put it another way, they were just cheesy and bad, a jarring note to an otherwise interesting movie.

There was not a lot of new material here, nothing terribly original, but it is still not bad. Flawed by it's special effects, surely, but some good acting and a decent script saves it from being a B movie.

Average customer rating:

Leviathan

Manufacturer: Tyndale Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Book Description

Introducing an epic breakthrough in the world of children’s entertainment! Sensational Bible Stories, Riveting First-Century Adventures, Promising Lifelong Lessons.
Friends and Heroes is an animated, DVD-based Bible-learning series that teaches kids Bible stories, ancient history, and how to live life as a Christian. Episode #3, Leviathan, creatively retells the story of David and Goliath. In addition, a retelling of how God released Peter from prison will encourage kids to never give up hope.
FEATURES

Unique animation style! A stunning mix of 2-D and 3-D!
Includes a retelling of an Old Testament story and a New Testament story
Each episode features four curriculum lessons (PDF format) with teacher helps, reproducible activities, and other materials which can be used for a variety of teaching formats such as small and large group Bible study, Sunday school, home school, and family fun time

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