Solitary marine biology student Siobhán endures a week on a ragged fishing trawler, where she’s miserably at odds with the close-knit crew. But out in the deep Atlantic, an unfathomable life form ensnares the boat. A film by Neasa Hardiman, starring Hermione Corfield, Dougray Scott, Connie Nielsen, Olwen Fouéré, Jack Hickey, Elie Bouakaze, and Ardalan Esmaili.

Siobhán (Hermione Corfield), a PhD student studying deep-sea faunal behavioral patterns, has secured a berth on the fishing trawler Niamh Cinn Óir to research and document abnormalities in the ship’s route.

A crew of six operates the Niamh Cinn Óir: Captain Freya (Connie Nielsen), her husband-skipper Gerard (Dougray Scott), ship engineer Omid (Jack Hickey), and crewmates Johnny (Jack Hickey), Ciara (Olwen Fouéré), and Sudi (Elie Bouakaze).

Freya and Gerard receive a warning from the Irish Coast Guard as they set off. Their planned destination falls within an exclusion zone, but Gerard sees it as a potential goldmine for fish. Desperate to save the ship, he makes the unauthorized decision to steer into the zone, keeping his course hidden from the crew.

Their radar pings a submerged object in the exclusion zone, just before the ship collides with something. The impact halts the vessel mid-sea, leaving it dead in the water, as if anchored by an unseen force lurking beneath the waves.

Siobhán, the only person on board with diving gear for her research, is sent down by Gerald to investigate whatever is holding onto the ship and find a solution to set it free. She discovers that the enormous bio-luminescent organism’s tentacles are stuck to the boat. Siobhán attempts to detach a tentacle with her knife, but other tentacles attack, forcing her to retreat back onto the ship.

Panic sets in as the crew discovers that the slime from the mysterious sea creature harbors parasitic larvae that can enter the human body through even minor wounds. The affected individual faces a grim prognosis, with death likely within 36 hours.

SEA FEAVER, a science fiction horror thriller written and directed by Neasa Hardiman, boasts a compelling narrative that masterfully builds suspenseful atmosphere and delivers several unforgettable scenes, all without heavily relying on the menacing creature itself.

I’m drawn to the film’s realism, where characters trapped in the vast ocean with limited resources must fight for survival. It further compels viewers with the ethical dilemma of navigating an unknown and deadly disease.

However, some may find the film’s pacing deliberate, bordering on a slow-burn style with less action and lacking an epic confrontation between the monstrous sea creature and the human protagonists

Swedish multi-instrumentalist Christoffer Franzén’s haunting and evocative score elevates the film’s atmosphere, perfectly complementing its themes. The music beautifully underscores the characters’ isolation, fear, and flickering hope, making the soundtrack an integral part of the cinematic experience.

SEA FEVER premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 5 September 2019. The film was released on video on demand in the United States on 10 April 2020.