The Asylum's 2010: Moby Dick and Absurdity: A Movie Review

*Full disclosure: The Asylum provided a DVD copy of the film for review.

Director: Trey Stokes.

Writers: Paul Bales, and Herman Melville.

Moby Dick gets a remake in The Asylum's November 23rd release entitled 2010: Moby Dick. The picture dumbs down Herman Melville's original 19th Century written work and themes of good vs. evil, or social class are long forgotten. Instead, the predominant theme of revenge is one which only mildly satisfies. Even Barry Bostwick's melodramatic acting as Captain Ahab cannot save this sinking sub, which is cheaply made and dramatically written.

In case you have not read the original, Captain Ahab is wounded by a large mythical white whale, who now has an appetite for skimpily bikini clad women and stationary oil rigs (modern version). Ahab makes it his life's mission to save the US Navy from the rampagings of this 500 foot beast, to no avail. Also, the film follows Ahab to his tragic end, with several questions lingering.

The questions that watchers might have are: was this movie made with a VHS camcorder, are those mines made out of Nerf footballs, and why is Captain Ahab carrying around a giant squirt gun? These inquisitions and others will leave you scratching your head at the pure insanity of The Asylum's latest production.

There really are quite a few technical flaws and inconsistencies, in the film. More than half of the movie is CGIed and the submarine sets look 50 years old. There are too many continuity errors to mention. Plus, the film just looks unpolished and/or rushed, with some of the acting offering the only sincere moments.

Actor Renee O'Connor ("Xena: Warrior Princess") seems comfortable in her female Indian Jones role, while Barry Bostwick is supremely confident in the cheesiness of it all. Other minor characters get in a scream or two, before being offed by a malevolent sea mammal. Many of the actors must have been laughing at the shear surrealism of fighting an unseen monster, as Moby Dick is completely computer generated. And the performances are what make the film bearable and, at times, laughable. How can you not laugh at yourself, if you are in an Asylum movie, or at the screen, if you are watching one?

This film is already available on DVD and 2010: Moby Dick is really for those looking for something ridiculous and mentally unintrusive. Maybe buy this one for your adolescent cousin, or your antagonistic ex-girlfriend, for a laugh. Otherwise, save your hard earned ducats for other Asylum releases like Airline Disaster.

Overall: 6 out of 10 (this reviewer really appreciates The Asylum's humour and light-hearted approach to filmmaking , but this movie really seemed cheaply made -1 for poor sets, -1 for the ending, which seems 10 minutes too long, -1 for too much CGI, -1 for not adding anything to the original story other than modernizing the equipment).

More details on this film at The Asylum:

2010: Moby Dick at The Asylum