Harbinger Down (2015)

This is one of those movies that you'll need to know a bit of back story to truly appreciate it.

Amalgamated Dynamics is a special effects team that have made animatronics and prosthetic effects since the 80s. However more and more their work is being replaced with CGI in post production. After their work was replaced on The Thing (2011) they started to upload videos of their original effects and thus a following was formed and a Kickstarter idea imagined.

Harbinger Down is a crowd funded movie that uses only practical special effects, zero CGI.

Movie-wise it's OK, the plot is basically The Thing. Shape-shifting alien from space that uses humans as a host and goes round killing them.

Set on a crabbing boat the cast are likeable and almost cartoon-like which makes you think of an 80s video nasty. Lance Henriksen is our hero who hams it up fantastically.

The main star of the show is of course the special effects, which are fantastic. The pure old school effects give this film a character of it's own and a real classic feel.

Where as it's similarity to The Thing is a tribute or an attempt to make a better version I don't know, it's too close to be a mistake, especially when you consider that the team worked on the most recent.

Overall it's a good ride and sure to gain a fair cult following. The unoriginal plot was the main let down for me but don't let that discourage you.

6/10 Masks