"THE TANK" (2023) SERVES UP SUBTERRANEAN SCARES THIS SPRING
It’s fair to say that most of us at one point or another had a fear of a monster hiding somewhere in our home or room. Whether it be the common monster under the bed or even the closet, some of our earliest fears are predicated on the existence of supernatural creatures that have their sights set on us. As we age we come to realize that the world is full of real-life monsters, and the ones that used to scare us as kids don’t hold a candle to what you can hear about in one of the thousands of true crime podcasts. Just like how tastes change as we age, so does the horror genre. Nowadays you’re more likely to see “monsters” portrayed as a tangible metaphor for something like mental health or trauma, and that’s because we as a society have focused a lot of our attention on how emotional and mental health diagnoses can wreak literal havoc on us in the very same way we imagine a fictional monster could. This translates into monster movies being somewhat of a rarity these days, aside from the ones that have a dual meaning. Well, it looks like WELL GO USA and SCOTT WALKER have something to say about that in their newest creature feature, THE TANK. Releasing in theaters on APRIL 21, 2023, is this monster film a return to a simpler form or is it a relic of an era that has lost its relevance?
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
After mysteriously inheriting an abandoned coastal property, Ben and his family accidentally unleash an ancient, long-dormant creature that terrorized the entire region—including his own ancestors—for generations.
HOW IS IT?
THE TANK is a film that calls back to a simpler time in the horror genre. One where spectacle was more important than messaging, and where tension is built through tense set-pieces rather than a more intentional slow burn turned into chaos in the final moments. Depending on how much you yearn for the former over the latter will certainly dictate how much you enjoy THE TANK, and I for one am here for it. Combining elements of ALIENS and THE DESCENT, THE TANK brings solid creature design and genuine character performances together to elicit some cinematic scares meant to be seen in a theater with others.
The story is as straightforward as it comes with regards to setup; a family barely hanging on financially is surprised to find that a relative has left them a large-coastal property which could bring some welcome financial stability. As these things go, the family discovers an old water tank that holds some dark secrets below. It isn’t saying anything you can’t get from the trailer that there is something living in that tank, and the family is being systematically terrorized by the creature(s) lingering underneath. While the setup is nothing new, these kinds of stories live and die on two key things; the characters and the monster. In this case, both are served extremely well, albeit for very different reasons. In the case of the family, these are genuinely likable people who you want to see succeed. I mean, they run a pet store and seem to be the kind of proprietors that do it for the animals and not for the money. The financial tension that sits between their business and its performance underpins the urgency with which they pick up and head out to this beautiful coastal property, and yet you can still sense the apprehension amongst the family which is a credit to their performance more than anything else. These strong performances are matched by some really effective technical direction and framing. The cinematography perfectly captures the serenity of the desolate location while not shying away from the darkness and isolation the surrounding location exudes
On the creature front is where things really shine with THE TANK. While I won’t go into detail on the actual design, it reminded me a lot of the original H.R. GIGER design for the xenomorph mixed with something more amphibious. Some early and subtle foreshadowing paves the way for what the creature will look like, and even more impressive is that this was all done with practical effects. The way the creature moves is one example of where human performance is far more convincing than CGI, even if mo-cap is in play, there is nothing like seeing an actor move in a suit to really dial up the horror on screen. Critically speaking, the only noticeable issue I had with THE TANK has to do with survivability. Much like how in SCREAM 6 people seem to be able to take far more punishment than is medically possible, some similar logical leaps are applied here, but sparingly and not enough to detract from the great pacing. Not to mention, one of those logic leaps does give us one of the best vindication stand offs since Ripley in ALIENS, so for my sake it’s an easy thing to let slide.
LAST RITES
THE TANK harmonizes solid performances and strong technical direction with convincing characters and a fun creature design to create a monster movie that demands to be seen in the dark with others. Much like the films that inspired it, THE TANK is about making us scared of monsters that lurk in the dark again, and it succeeds with break-neck pacing and practical effects that highlight why creature features are still some of the most fun to be had at the movies.
THE GORY DETAILS
Directed By
Written By
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Where can you watch it?
THE TANK from WELL GO USA releases in North American theaters on APRIL 21, 2023, and then on Digital Streaming platforms on APRIL 25, 2023!
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