Despite the fact that it's a complete rip-off of 1978's Piranha, the opening scene in Blue Demon holds some promise as a group of sorority girls show-up at a top secret government lagoon with the intention of making a pledge swim out to a distant buoy and back. Soon enough though they find the water is home to some genetically enhanced sharks and end-up being attacked. The scene kicks the movie off alright, but enjoy it while it lasts as its one of the last attack scenes in the movie for at least an hour.

DeDee Pfeiffer (yes, Michelle's less famous and less talented sister) and Randall Batnikoff play arguing scientists who were once married but still have to work together on a top secret government project that has them genetically modifying sharks so that they can not only control them by a remote computer, but also so they can be used to protect the coastline of America from terrorist attacks.

However things soon get out of hand when the sharks end-up escaping from their caged-in pen and head towards regular land and a smorgasbord of civilian victims. Looking on is a hard-ass, cigar chomping military General (played over-the-top by Jeff Fahey), project head Danny Wooburn, and assistant stoner-type Josh Hammond as our two ex-lovers attempt to stop the invasion of the killer sharks.

With a premise this dumb it's a good thing that the makers of Blue Demon don't take themselves too seriously. But it's not such a good thing when you consider that the movie is probably the most tame "killer shark" movie ever made (hence the PG-13 rating, I suppose - though it could've easily been rated PG considering the content) and when they do throw the audience a bone by putting "puny humans" in peril most of the time nothing comes of it as the sharks tend to somehow become disinterested and swim off leaving behind victims that are a bit wetter and a tad freaked-out.

In fact, Blue Demon plays out like a dopey TV movie as it's filled with familiar B-movie faces, pretty weak CGI shark effects (they substitute actual attacks scenes for way too many scenes of the school of sharks swimming towards the camera), and it contains absolutely nothing we haven't seen before. The entire movie is quite underwhelming and it hits its "bleh" peak in the finale that has Fahey being caught-up in a life ring, an unexciting car chase, a hilariously cornball "no legs" dream sequence, and an "explosive" finish... that isn't.

If you're looking for another entry into a long line of mediocre movies to follow in the wake of Jaws, then this might be right up your alley. If you want to see one of the most ridiculous plots this sub-genre has to offer, then this is definitely for you. Blue Demon is pretty weak, but it's completely harmless and bearable stuff. (Chris Hartley, 9/12/05)

Directed By: Dan Grodnik.
Written By: Dan Grodnik, Lisa Morton, Ron Oliver, Brett Thompson.

Starring: DeDee Pfeiffer, Randall Batnikoff, Danny Woodburn, Josh Hammond.

Picture Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen.

Picture Quality: Despite the fact the transfer looking a little too bright at times (but that might be because the movie itself is filled with strong colours), the transfer here is pretty clean and clear looking better than a lot of low-budget movies tend to when they hit disc.

Extras: As per usual from First Look just a trailer and a handful of previews for other releases by the company.