Writer/Director Scott Walker (The Frozen Ground) evokes the ’80s creature feature for his sophomore film, The Tank. A simple, self-contained premise serves as the foundation for a creature effects showcase. While unique creature design and effects by Weta Workshop make for a compelling centerpiece, the simplistic storytelling undermines it by undercutting the tension and stakes.
Ben (Matt Whelan) and his wife, Jules (Lucianne Buchanan), run a small but bustling pet shop that doubles as daughter Reia’s (Zara Nausbaum) playground. Jules’s extensive knowledge of animals might come in handy when Ben learns that he’s inherited coastal property that has sat uninhabited like a dark family secret for decades. As the family travels to the estate to investigate and explore Ben’s inheritance, they unwittingly wake a long-dormant threat that’s terrorized the land and Ben’s ancestors for generations.
As Ben descends to the cavernous underground water tank on the property, kickstarting the horror, it begins a long build-up toward the actual reveal. Walker employs the tried-and-true tactic of concealing his creatures for as long as possible. The subtle signs that the creatures lurk about the property ensue, from strange noises in the dilapidated house to foreboding signs that they’ve taken an interest in young Reia. Some unseen creature moments induce scares, like an eerie monster under the bed scenario for Reia. Others give context clues about the creatures themselves even as Walker attempts to withhold as much information as possible from the audience in a bid to unveil answers piecemeal.
The small cast and self-contained story struggle to flesh out these increasing encounters with an unseen foe. Buchanan is most successful in instilling rooting interest, both in providing exposition and establishing Jules as a resourceful and intelligent heroine. Nausbaum’s Reia makes for the obvious damsel in need of sheltering from the horror or saving when peril encroaches. Still, the family trio at the center of this tale leaves the narrative with little wiggle room or fodder to sell the stakes. The back half finally introduces a minor character or two to highlight how lethal these monsters can be, but it takes a while to get there and struggles to create tension and stakes.
It’s exacerbated by cinematographer Aaron Morton (2013’s Evil Dead, “Sweet Tooth”) washing everything in a hazy blue filter meant to emulate the Pacific Northwest decades ago. While the color palette can often distract, Morton effectively uses washed-out blue tones to sell day-for-night scenes.
Of course, when the climactic third act arrives, and Walker finally shows his hand, The Tank roars to life. Early introductory foreshadowing gives way to a thrilling confrontation that spotlights great work by Academy Award-winning special effects supervisor and creative director Richard Taylor and his team at Peter Jackson’s VFX studio Weta Workshop. An extended horror sequence brings welcome intensity, evoking an amphibious reinterpretation of an iconic Aliens scene.
So much about Walker’s narrative structure and stylistic choices evoke ’80s creature features. It’s a barebones concept that hinges on its creatures. On that, The Tank delivers. The lean, efficient storytelling isn’t the most compelling, nor is the central family driving the plot. But the inspired third act featuring great creature design and effects set in a subterranean aquatic space, and highlighted by impressive camerawork, ensures that The Tank ends with a strong finish.
The Tank releases in theaters on April 21 and on Digital April 25, 2023.
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