Peter Benchley's Creature was a TV miniseries created and based on the book as it was directed by Stuart Gillard Who is the man who is mostly known for his work in TV play surprisingly has directed some films like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3 As well as Rocket Man, Twitches and Twitches Too so I believe that Stuart Gillard has a relationship with Disney that he has continued through the years, And also having been a writer behind the Sonny & Cher show. That being said I believe this miniseries was actually originally on something like USA probably over a two nights span.It might have actually been on some other channels before that I'm not entirely sure but I remember it being on in the days where VHS was still at the handy ready and I could record away probably on a VHS player that couldn't skip commercials which were so annoying.
The mini series has some relatively well-known names which Craig T Nelson that's the cast with Kim Cattrall As well as Colm Feore and Giancarlo Esposito. The film begins in 1972 where are scientist has called a military leader to show progress that was made in an experiment where a freak of nature, a shark that had been Gene spliced with the DNA of a dolphin and being that life finds a way an accident happens the scientist gets killed, and the creature For Better or Worse escapes but it is many years later that this is found out. Craig T Nelson has made his home on an island of two mountains surrounded by bodies of water as he is searching for why sharks do not die of cancer. An attack happens making the villagers believe that the attack came from the great whites that he protects so some Island poachers go out and kill the supposed shark and think that their troubles are over. Meanwhile the man who could not kill the creature back when he was an employee under the scientist web created the half dolphin half shark freak of nature is actually the crazy man that goes by the nickname werewolf played by Giancarlo Esposito. Dr. Simon Chase played by Craig T Nelson invites his wife Dr. Amanda Mayson who is a marine biologist and brings her own trained seal that's right a seal not a Navy SEAL, bringing in tow his son. What is interesting is that we see the man who becomes Black Lightning the superhero is actually the man who helps doctor Chase protect these species of shark. There are three romantic tangles of couples going on here one between Chase's son and the village Chiefs daughter The relationship between tall man and an island girl and the relationship between Chase and Mayson those separated they were before the situation brings them close.
before long Chase has to call the military because there are things that Just don't add up and there is some missing information on something that happened in the 70s that can't just be explained away with the killings that are happening on the island and off not only that but the creature has metamorphed into something that can walk around on two legs and on land…
I really like this mini series even though it is lengthy you have to have an appreciation for patience As the average person or movie watcher can only sit for so long. I would have to say that this is one of the better shark adaptations though I do believe that it does pale in comparison to its predecessor being that of Jaws. What I do believe is that the film Deep Blue Sea has or had similar story elements to this miniseries in the simple fact that there was a genetic shark involved. I think this was a relatively decent build up kind of a film I mean you have the background of the Islanders as there was a group of young folks that tried to get Chase's son to jump off a cliff which ended in a shark attack from the creature. I think my favorite moments in the miniseries Was when Chase's son was thrown off the Pier and Chase and the creature locked eyes like the creature was saying telekinetically that it really could have killed his son if it had wanted to and this was the first admittance of its intelligence. It was enjoyable and entertaining to me and if you have not seen it you should at least see it once I would definitely recommend it.
