‘Prepare to be consumed’
Hydra is a 2009 fantasy action horror film about a remote island that is host to a deadly game hunting humans and a seven-headed monster! Also known as Hydra: The Lost Island
A former Marine has been kidnapped with three convicts, taken to a deserted island, and forced to participate in a deadly game in which four super-rich men pay to hunt human prey. But the island isn’t deserted: it’s home to Hydra the beast.
Directed by Andrew Prendergast (Parasite; Evil Elvis) from a screenplay written by Peter Sullivan (Cucuy: The Boogeyman; The Sandman 2017; High School Possession; Chupacabra vs. the Alamo; Finders Keepers) loosely based on Richard Connell’s 1924 short story ‘The Most Dangerous Game’ combined with Greek mythology. Produced by Daniel Gilboy, Lisa M. Hansen and Paul Hertzberg.
The Cinetel Films production stars George Stults, Dawn Olivieri, Michael Shamus Wiles, Alex McArthur, Texas Battle, Polly Shannon, James Wlcek, Ricco Ross, Roark Critchlow, William Gregory Lee, Dwayne Adway and Jana Williams.
Reviews:
“All in all, Hydra is a relatively run-of-the-mill Sci-Fi Channel monster movie that perks up whenever the monster goes on the attack but fails to give you much to hold your attention when the hydra isn’t on the screen chomping the hell out of people. Best served as background fodder…” Dread Central
” …the CGI has been amped up a bit and looks like something in which you can suspend belief, for a change. That has been the greatest problem with Sci-Fi Original movies, thus far…the horrible CG, trite dialog, and terrible acting ruin the possibility of enjoying a good suspension of belief, thereby negating its own work. This is not the case with Hydra. At least, not to the extent as is typically present.” Fiendish Dramaturgy
“Sure the CGI monster looked pretty terrible but he, or she as it were, still messed up people really bad ripping folks in two, biting their heads off, swallowing them whole… whatever had to be done to kill them, and we like watching people getting eaten by mythical beasts. Can’t apologize for that.This was a movie that was at its best when the monster was straight wrecking stuff, but for the times that it was off-screen, well, I’m not too sure about all of that.” Film Critics United
“When ex-special forces guy Tim Nolan (played by George Stults) explains what happened in the Army and how he wound up in jail, Stults — who is otherwise a charismatic leading man type — displays about as much emotion as if he were describing a trip to the supermarket where they were out of his favorite ice cream. There are some exciting moments in the movie, which is slightly above average for the sci-fi channel.” Great Old Movies
“The monster just rips CGI people apart and there’s plenty of CGI gore but it all amounts to very little as it happens so often. I want to see slow deaths – getting eaten alive in these films is an instant death in most cases and the monsters chew people up too easily for my liking. On the positive side, this is one of the few Sci-Fi Channel films that I’ve seen that doesn’t fill up the cast with Eastern European hacks.” Popcorn Pictures
“It’s poop frankly and another dismal effort in Sciffy’s archive of dismal efforts. It’s frustrating, actually, because there is the germ of a good film here, and both the premise and idea underpinning the film are essentially solid. Had the crap with the magic sword been excised, and had they had the balls to go all-out bug nuts, then I could have been talked into recommending this.” Werewolves on the Moon
Cast and characters (in credits order):
George Stults … Tim Nolan
Dawn Olivieri … Gwen Russell
Michael Shamus Wiles … Captain Sweet
Alex McArthur … Vincent Camden
Texas Battle … Ronnie Kaplan
Polly Shannon … Doctor Valerie Cammon
James Wlcek … Bob Crick
Ricco Ross … Broughton
Roark Critchlow … Sean Trotta
William Gregory Lee … Clarence Elkins
Dwayne Adway … Mr Winters
Jana Williams … Dixie
Paul Rae … Alex Williams
Matthew Willig … Gunner
Antonio D. Charity … Knut
Philip Moon … Doctor Kim
Michael Miranda … Scott
Diego Villarreal Garcia … Panos
Frank Alvarez … Otto
Graham Shiels … Horst
Edward P. Blinn … Daniel the Technician (as Ed Blinn)
Tony Bracken … Boat Driver
Filming locations:
Bronson Caves, Bronson Canyon, Griffith Park – 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California
S.S. Victory Lane Maritime Museum, Long Beach, California
Trailer:
Full film free to watch online [1080p HD]:
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