Great enjoyment can be found from being immersed in a movie which transports you to a new world or time. Yes, many stories are based in reality, or on the edges of what we know; thankfully the vast majority of us will never experience war but we’re all too aware of its presence.
But there is a joy in discovering somewhere new, whether it exists in the epic, fantastical fiction of Tolkien or in the galaxy-spanning ‘wild west’ of Star Wars. New worlds can be exciting, foreboding, enticing and terrifying. Yet, in the case of Storm Rider: Legend of Hammerhead, they can also be achingly dull and complicated.
Drawing inspiration from many quarters, most notably Waterworld and the Mad Max universe, this is a film that opens with exposition, and regularly peppers the narrative with more exposition, while still saving some for the finale. There is so much voiceover you may as well be listening to an audiobook. A basic plot exists at the centre of the narrative; great floods, ruling despots, islanders who must race for survival, and so on… but the characters, setting and story are so dull as to render you catatonic with boredom.
Frustratingly, there is something resembling a decent idea in there. A dystopian world controlled by fear and desperation isn’t original but should nurture some interest. Some of the visuals are also interesting, although Kevin Costner may want his atoll back. And the boats look pretty cool.
Sadly, though, you quickly lose interest due to the unwavering exposition, and the end – when it arrives – provides welcome relief.
STORM RIDER: LEGEND OF HAMMERHEAD is out now in select US cinemas.
