Starring: Maeve Dermody, Diana Glenn, Andy Rodoreda, Ben Oxenbould

Rated: R (terror, violence, language)

My Rating: 5/5

Although most killer crocodile movies are cheesy and unrealistic, this one was quite different. In fact, I would consider it more of a psychological thriller than a horror movie. The fact that it's based on true events only adds to the tension.

Lee (Maeve Dermody), her older sister Grace (Diana Glenn), and Grace's boyfriend Adam (Andy Rodoreda) decide to go out on a boat in the Mangrove swamps of Australia. While out on the water, the boat tips over, and their fishing guide is taken away by a crocodile. Frightened by what had just happened, they run and climb up the nearest tree. Their only options are to either sit in the tree and wait it out with little chance of rescue, or get back in the water to try and escape in the boat. In this case, neither option is very good. The film follows the three as they frantically try to come up with a plan for survival.

As I mentioned earlier, this movie isn't like most killer crocodile films. The crocodile is not running around on land at the speed of light, and it doesn't kill someone every five seconds. What you have in this movie is a very realistic approach of what could happen if you are faced with a ferocious crocodile. The crocodile is very real in its movement and the way it slowly pears in and out of the water. In fact, you won't get a very fake looking CGI crocodile in this movie. Instead, you get real ones. Of course the actors weren't in the water with the crocodiles for obvious reasons. They had to edit the film to make it look like the crocodile was actually there with the characters, but you can't even tell. One of my favorite things about the movie was a scene in which the croc is doing a "death roll" to its victim. The death roll is a very common way in which a crocodile kills its prey. I was very pleased to see that incorporated into the movie.

As I mentioned, this movie is very psychological. The cast does an amazing job of making you feel their fear. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, and I even had my fingers in my mouth at one point. It is almost as if you were there. Is the crocodile nearby? Is it safe to go in the water? With a crocodile lingering under the very muddy water, you never know. That's part of what makes the situation so scary.

If you're looking for blood and gore, stay away. If you like a good suspenseful movie, then you might like Black Water. It is definitely the best crocodile movie I have ever seen.