The Black Demon

The Black Demon follows oilman Paul Sturges, who brings his family on vacation to a Mexican coastal town he and his wife remember fondly. They arrive to find the place largely abandoned and its residents wary, and the offshore oil platform Paul intends to inspect is falling apart. Local stories speak of a megalodon known as the Black Demon, a creature said to guard these waters. Stranded on the platform as it slowly gives way to the sea, Paul and his family must find a way back to shore while the shark circles them.

Adrian Grünberg directed the film, his third feature after Get the Gringo and Rambo: Last Blood and before Protector. Josh Lucas plays Paul, with Fernanda Urrejola as his wife Ines, Julio Cedillo as Chato, and Venus Ariel, Carlos Solórzano and Jorge A. Jimenez in supporting roles. Carlos Cisco and Boise Esquerra wrote the screenplay, and the production involved Mexican, American and Dominican companies.

Released in April 2023, the film runs 101 minutes and took in about 3 million dollars worldwide, a modest return. Audiences are split: on IMDb it holds 3.7 out of 10 from roughly 11,000 votes, while on TMDB it sits at 5.9 from about 729 votes. A critics' rating of 4.2 from 39 reviews places it below the TMDB audience score and close to the IMDb figure.