Genre favourite Stuart (Re-Animator) Gordon heads back into H.P. Lovecraft territory for this mixture of the title story and H.P.'s Shadow Over Innsmouth that has young couple Ezra Godden and Raquel Merono (who's poor) out on a boating trip only to crash during a storm by the seemingly deserted coastal fishing village, Imboca.

Soon they are on-land and find out the residents (who are acting quite strangely) have been worshipping the title sea creature and in turn are turning into web-handed, gill sporting sea monsters themselves.

Decent USA-Spain co-production builds some good spooky mood at first and manages to be watchable with Godden making a suitably "dorky" hero, an okay opening dream sequence involving a mermaid, decent creature effects and couple of gruesomely cool moments (the best one involving a derelict's face).

Sure it's a bit leisurely paced and certainly not perfect but Gordon still continues to be the best Lovecraft adapater around. A recommended break from all the teenage themed horror crap on shelves lately.

Directed By: Stuart Gordon.
Written By: Dennis Paoli.

Starring: Ezra Godden, Francisco Rabal, Raquel Merono, Macarena Gomez.