In the escalating chaos of the modern world, it makes sense that some gamers would leave their action-adventures and first-person shooters behind in order to focus on more easy-going titles meant to simulate a less stressful life. While I’ve personally avoided this new genre of “cozy games” due to my obsession with survival horror, I couldn’t help but find myself becoming fascinated by the release of Black Salt Games’ Dredge back in 2023.
A bizarre mix of fishing simulator and Lovecraftian horror, this addicting trek into uncharted waters is a terrifying delight and one of the best indie experiences in recent years. I’m clearly not the only one who thinks so, as production company Story Kitchen has already announced that it’ll be turning the game into a live-action horror film set to release in the near future. And while we anxiously wait for a release date, as well as the August arrival of the next DLC content, we’ve decided to come up with a list recommending 6 maritime horror movies to tide you over.
From foggy fishing villages to horrors from the deep, there are countless seaborne scary stories to recommend, which is why I’d like to invite readers to comment below with your own fishy horror favorites if you think we missed a particularly spooky one.
And while I won’t be including it on the list because it’d be a tad bit too obvious, I’d also like to give a shout-out to Stuart Gordon’s excellent Lovecraft adaptation, Dagon – a film that I’m certain will appeal to fans of Dredge.
With that out of the way, onto the list…
6. Sea Fever (2019)
An infection thriller set on a rickety old fishing trawler that finds itself marooned in a mysterious exclusion zone off the coast of Ireland, Sea Fever is an obvious choice for a list inspired by Dredge. Featuring plenty of seaborne scares as well as a fair amount of body horror, it’s a shame that the Covid pandemic kept this one from getting a wider release.
While I won’t give too much away in order to avoid spoiling the surprises present in the latter half of the flick, suffice to say that this is a solid movie boosted by great performances (especially by Connie Nielsen) and a unique setting. Plus, it features plenty of references to genre classics like Alien and The Thing!
5. Cold Skin (2018)
As far as Lovecraftian thrillers go, Cold Skin is one of the oddest of the bunch, featuring terror, action and inter-species romance in equal measure. Based on the Albert Sánchez Piñol novel of the same name, Xavier Gens’ adaptation tells the story of a weather reporter and a lighthouse keeper who meet on an isolated island and must join forces to fight back against sea-dwelling monsters.
A moody and atmospheric thriller that isn’t afraid to delve into action movie territory during the nightly sieges on the lighthouse, this may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s certainly one of the most memorable monster movies of the 2010s.
4. Sweetheart (2019)
One of the most underrated Blumhouse productions out there, J. D. Dillard’s Sweetheart is just as simple as it is effective. Telling the story of a young woman (Kiersey Clemons) who finds herself stranded on a tropical island, this compelling survival thriller also features a humanoid sea monster hell-bent on eating our protagonist alive.
A bizarre combination of Predator and Castaway, I’m honestly surprised that this fast-paced experience isn’t more popular, especially when you consider the phenomenal special effects work (I really dig that monster design) and Clemons’ compelling performance.
3. Humanoids from the Deep (1981)
Also known as Monster in some territories, Barbara Peeters’ Humanoids from the Deep is a must-watch for fans of maritime exploitation. A low-budget monster movie that almost accidentally ends up being a competent Lovecraft adaptation, this tale of horny Californian fishmen was originally deemed too tame by Roger Corman – with the uncredited producer actually hiring second unit director James Sbardellati to film extra scenes containing exaggerated gore and nudity.
The end result is an odd film that goes back and forth between being a legitimately scary experience and a cheap yet fascinating grindhouse flick with some of the most memorable sea monsters in B-movie history.
2. The Bay (2012)
From Good Morning Vietnam to Rain Man, the Academy-Award-winning filmmaker Barry Levinson isn’t exactly the first person that comes to mind when discussing found footage horror. And yet, this cinematic veteran is actually responsible for one of the best entries in the genre, namely 2012’s ecological horror flick, The Bay.
Inspired by real issues affecting the Chesapeake Bay, this horrifying mockumentary presents viewers with a collage of recovered footage concerning an outbreak of parasitic isopods that begin infecting humans and wreaking havoc in eastern Maryland. Featuring believable scares and some gruesome body-horror, this is one of my favorite mockumentaries and proof that Found Footage isn’t necessarily a young man’s game.
1. The Fog (1980)
It may not boast the same amount of fans as Halloween or even The Thing, but John Carpenter’s The Fog is undeniably one of the best scary movies ever made and a shining example of maritime horror. A spooky campfire story about undead sailors who inhabit the mysterious fog that envelops a sleepy coastal town in Northern California, this is a must-watch for fans of Dredge.
From the moody soundtrack to the seaside setting (not to mention the tragic backstory behind the ghosts), it’s pretty clear that this horror classic was a big influence on Black Salt Games and will likely also serve as an inspiration for the upcoming Dredge movie.
The post 6 Maritime Horror Films for Fans of the ‘Dredge’ Video Game appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.
