In 1978, Oakland, California pet shop owners Ben (Matt Whelan, The Luminaries, Narcos) and Jules Adams (Luciane Buchanan, The Night Agent) are struggling to make ends meet when they receive news that Ben has inherited a mysterious, abandoned coastal property in Oregon. Ben’s mother had recently passed away, but the property had been in his father’s name since the 1930s. Ben wonders why his mother never spoke of the property—perhaps it just brought back bad memories of Ben’s father and sister, who had died in a car accident shortly before he was born. Ben and Jules decide to take a weekend trip, along with daughter Reia (Zara Nausbaum) and dog Archie, to check out the property. Though, just before they leave, Jules points out an arthropod in one of the fish tanks at the store, forebodingly telling her daughter that if it were to be taken out of the tank, it would become a salamander, and hunt its prey on land.
When the family arrives, they discover a run down cottage with no electricity, a massive 100-foot underground water tank, and a beautiful coastal view. The local real-estate agent tells them the history of the cottage, and that it had been considered cursed since the early 1700s when the ground suddenly opened up, swallowing up hundreds of unsuspecting people. Ben and Jules laugh off the notion and explore the house, where they find newspaper clippings about Ben’s father and sister, as well as Ben’s mother’s old diary—causing them to wonder if the stories they were told surrounding the deaths were actually true. As the family tries to get some rest for the night, they hear loud creaking throughout the house, growls, and scratching from under the floorboards. When they check things out, Jules thinks she sees something looking at her through the kitchen window. A bit freaked out, the family continues to stay in the house, but the noises intensify, and they soon discover that their presence may have reawakened a deadly creature inside the tank that has been wreaking havoc in the region for centuries, and that may also be the real cause of the deaths of Ben’s family members. Now the creature appears to be trying to make its way into the cottage, and they need to come up with a plan of attack/escape before they become its next victims.
The Tank is an engaging thriller that does an excellent job of slowly ratcheting up the tension, using sound and suggestive images to build up the anticipation. The audience isn’t shown the full extent of the creature this family is dealing with until much later in the film, allowing the viewer’s imagination to run wild with worst-case scenarios. Once we finally do get to see the creature, it’s really well done and terrifying (thanks to the involvement of Wētā Workshop). Heightening the situation is the fact that this cottage has no electricity, and the family is primarily using oil lamps to see at night. This is set in the late 70s, so there aren’t cell phones with flashlights, or the ability to easily call for help. This family is trapped in this remote cottage, with no one else around for miles. As they slowly piece together what happened to Ben’s family, they start to realize what they are dealing with. While they don’t know exactly what this creature is, we know from that foreboding speech that Jules gave to their daughter, these pet store owners/aspiring veterinarians do know something about reptiles and other creatures, that may just be the key to surviving this nightmare.
Much of the film takes place at night, lit only by gaslight, but Well Go’s Blu-ray release still provides a clean, clear picture, with a solid level of detail, even in these darker sequences. The audio track is really well done, giving the viewer a fully-immersive experience that really amps up the tension and creep factor. All of the blustering winds, creaking floorboards, and growling and scraping from the creature fills the room, making it sound like this thing could be anywhere, helping to put the viewer on edge.
Well Go’s Blu-ray release includes about 9 minutes of behind-the-scenes featurettes with the cast and crew that take a look at the story, location, characters and building the creature. There’s also the usual trailer for the film as well as previews for three other Well Go releases. The disc comes packed in a locking HD keepcase, and doesn’t include a digital copy. Our review copy included a cardboard slipcover.
What’s Included:
Film: (1:39:51)
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Blu-ray:
- 1080p / Widescreen 2.39:1
- Audio: English DTS-HDMA 5.1, English Stereo
- Subtitles: English SDH
Extras:
- A Look Into The Tank (3:25)
Writer/director/producer Scott Walker talks about how the idea for the movie came about, and deciding how to shoot the creature and build the tension. Stars Matt Whelan (“Ben”), Luciane Buchanan (“Jules”) & Zara Nausbaum (“Reia”) discuss their characters, working with one another, and making a horror movie. Includes behind-the-scenes footage. - Making the Creature (5:21)
The cast and crew discuss the look and design of the creature, creating the costume, casting the creature, the challenges of performing in the costume, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with writer/director/producer Scott Walker, Wētā Workshop’s Richard Taylor (CEO/Creative Director) & Petteri Mäkinen (Head of 3D Manufacture), and contortionist Regina Hegemann (“The Creature”). - Trailer (2:19)
- Previews
Final Thoughts:
The Tank is another solid thriller/creature feature from Well Go USA. The film does an excellent job of slowly building the tension and mystery, before becoming an action-packed struggle for survival. The disc’s video presentation looks great, while the audio track helps add to the horror and put the viewer on edge. The release also includes some short but interesting behind-the-scenes material. This disc is definitely worth picking up for horror fans.
The Tank
$11.99 (as of December 2, 2024 00:47 GMT -05:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
The Tank
48% Off $24.98 $12.90 (as of December 2, 2024 00:47 GMT -05:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
The Tank
$3.99 (as of December 2, 2024 00:47 GMT -05:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
