The Block Island Sound

Last updated • 5 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
The Block Island Sound
Block Island Sound.jpg
Poster
Directed by Kevin McManus
Matthew McManus
Written byKevin McManus
Matthew McManus
Produced byAndrew van den Houten
Ashleigh Snead
Starring Chris Sheffield
Michaela McManus
CinematographyAlan Gwizdowski [1]
Edited byDerek Desmond
Music byPaul Koch
Production
companies
30 Bones Cinema
Hood River Entertainment
Captain Intertia Productions
Title Media
Release dates
  • August 28, 2020 (2020-08-28)(Fantasia)
  • March 11, 2021 (2021-03-11)(Netflix)
Running time
97 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Block Island Sound is a 2020 American science fiction horror thriller film written and directed by Kevin McManus and Matthew McManus and starring Chris Sheffield and Michaela McManus. The plot follows a fisherman who encounters horrors and dark truths when an ominous force off the coast of Block Island begins killing wildlife.

Contents

The Block Island Sound was released on Netflix on 11 March 2021. The film received favorable reviews from critics.

Plot

Tom is a fisherman who wakes up alone and bewildered on his fishing vessel off the coast of Block Island to a scene of disarray. Reports of strange phenomena become evident on the island, including tons of dead fish washing ashore. Meanwhile, Harry, Tom’s son notices strange behaviour from his father such as taking his fishing boat out during the middle of the night and becoming unresponsive during conversation. Harry's sister Audry who lives on the Rhode Island mainland is sent from her job at the Environmental Protection Agency to investigate the strange wildlife occurrences along with her coworker Paul. Audry takes her daughter Emily along and decides to stay on the island with her, Tom, and Harry.

As Audry and Paul investigate the strange occurrences, Harry attempts to bond with his niece by showing Emily how to fish and catch frogs. Tom's behavior becomes erratic, and one night Tom takes his boat out during the middle of the night and vanishes without a trace. The local police persuade Audry and Harry to accept that their father has likely drowned, which is soon proven true as Tom's body washes ashore.

Harry struggles to accept the circumstances of his father's death. His mental health deteriorates as his other estranged sister Jen returns home to Block Island from New York for the funeral, during which Harry gets in a fight with an older man. He talks to his conspiracy theorist friend Dale and learns that similar disturbances have been happening across the world. He borrows scuba equipment to investigate the area where Tom drowned, but becomes unconscious underwater only to awaken on the fishing vessel while the electronics are scrambled and a strange noise is emitted.

Harry hits a deer while distracted by a vision of Tom after dropping Jen off at the ferry, and his increasingly erratic behavior spurs Audry to bring him to a psychologist. The psychologist speculates that he may be suffering from electromagnetic hypersensitivity caused by the Block Island Wind Farm and encourages Harry and Audry to contact a former patient with similar experiences. Harry steals a neighbour's dog after being awoken by visions of Tom, taking it to the same spot in Block Island Sound until a bizarre experience occurs where everything on the boat, including Harry and the dog, begins to ascend toward the sky. Harry crashes back down onto the boat but the dog goes missing, leaving behind only its lead.

Audry's colleague Paul offers to watch Emily and look after Harry while she drives to meet the former patient. The man explains to Audry that his paranoia is a result of being watched or influenced by some otherworldly force. He warns her that someone will get hurt if she doesn't get Harry away from the island.

While Audry is unsettled by the encounter and drives back to take the last ferry home, Harry resists yet another vision of his father telling him to take the "girl" (Emily), instead going for a nighttime drive where he narrowly avoids crashing into a female jogger. He then attempts to attack the woman but fails, and returns to the house. Audrey returns to find Paul knocked unconscious and hears Emily's screams as Harry abducts her onto the fishing boat. She manages to jump onto the vessel but is unable to reason with her psychotic brother, who again returns to the site of the disturbance. Audry barricades Emily and herself in the cabin of the boat; they soon experience a wailing sound and rattling as objects on the boat - along with Harry - start ascending into the sky again. Audry is carried into the sky as the cabin door gives way. The next morning, Emily is discovered alone in the cabin of the vessel by the local authorities. The movie ends with Audry being dropped into the ocean alive and treading water as a voiceover plays from an earlier scene where she describes to Emily why biologists justify taking certain individual fish out of their natural habitat to study them.

Cast

Release

The film premiered at the Fantasia International Film Festival on August 28, 2020. [2] [3]

It was then released on Netflix on March 11, 2021. [4] [5]

Reception

The Block Island Sound was met with critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes the film has a 90% rating based on 30 reviews. [6]

Kalyn Corrigan of Slash Film gave the film an 8 out of 10. [1] Michelle Swope of Dread Central awarded the film four stars out of five. [2] Joe Lipsett of Bloody Disgusting awarded the film four skulls out of five. [7]

J Hurtado of Screen Anarchy gave the film a positive review and wrote, "If you're expecting a monster movie, you might be disappointed at the lack of blood and guts, but if you'll open your mind, The Block Island Sound just might scare the hell out of you." [8]

Edward Guimont argued that while there are similarities to the work of H. P. Lovecraft, a closer parallel is Charles Fort's 1919 The Book of the Damned . [9]

Related Research Articles

<i>Killdozer!</i> (film) 1974 television film by Jerry London

Killdozer! is a 1974 made for TV science-fiction horror movie, adapted from a 1944 novella of the same name by Theodore Sturgeon. A comic book adaptation appeared the same year, in Marvel Comics' Worlds Unknown #6. The film has since gained a cult following.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brad Anderson (director)</span> American film director (born 1964)

Brad Anderson is an American film director, producer and writer. A director of thriller and horror films and television projects, he is best known for directing The Machinist (2004), starring Christian Bale, psychological horror film Session 9 (2001) and The Call (2013), starring Halle Berry. He also produced and directed several episodes of the Fox science fiction series Fringe. Earlier in his career he directed the romantic comedies Next Stop Wonderland (1998) and Happy Accidents (2000).

<i>The Lost Tribe</i> (2010 film) 2010 American film

The Lost Tribe is a 2010 American horror film directed by Roel Reiné, and starring Emily Foxler, Nick Mennell, Brianna Brown, Ryan Alosio and Marc Bacher.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Flanagan (filmmaker)</span> American filmmaker (born 1978)

Mike Flanagan is an American filmmaker, best known for his horror work. Flanagan wrote, directed, produced, and edited the horror films Absentia (2011), Oculus (2013), Hush, Before I Wake, Ouija: Origin of Evil, Gerald's Game (2017), and Doctor Sleep (2019). He created, wrote, produced, and served as showrunner on the Netflix horror series The Haunting of Hill House (2018), The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020), Midnight Mass (2021), The Midnight Club (2022), and The Fall of the House of Usher (2023), also directing and editing some episodes of each.

<i>The Babysitter</i> (2017 film) Teen horror-comedy film by McG

The Babysitter is a 2017 American teen black comedy slasher film directed by McG and written by Brian Duffield. It stars Samara Weaving, Judah Lewis, Hana Mae Lee, Robbie Amell and Bella Thorne. The film follows a lonely 12-year-old boy (Lewis) who discovers that his babysitter (Weaving) is part of a satanic cult that wants to kill him. The film was released by Netflix on October 13, 2017, and received mostly positive reviews from critics. A sequel, The Babysitter: Killer Queen, was released on September 10, 2020.

<i>The Babysitter: Killer Queen</i> 2020 comedy horror film by McG

The Babysitter: Killer Queen is a 2020 American black comedy slasher film directed and produced by McG, from a screenplay he wrote with Dan Lagana, Brad Morris, and Jimmy Warden. It is a sequel to the 2017 film The Babysitter and stars Judah Lewis, Emily Alyn Lind, Jenna Ortega, Robbie Amell, Andrew Bachelor, Leslie Bibb, Hana Mae Lee, Bella Thorne, Samara Weaving, and Ken Marino. The film continues the story of Cole Johnson, two years after the events of the first film, who must again fight to ensure his survival after a secret is unburied, as he is hunted by demonic enemies, both old and new.

<i>Anything for Jackson</i> 2020 film directed by Justin G. Dyck

Anything for Jackson is a 2020 Canadian supernatural horror film directed by Justin G. Dyck, and written by Keith Cooper. The film stars Sheila McCarthy, Julian Richings, Konstantina Mantelos, Josh Cruddas, and Yannick Bisson. Anything for Jackson debuted at the Fantasia Film Festival in September 2020 before releasing on Shudder the following December. The film received positive reviews from critics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">America (1897)</span> Boston Pilot boat

The America, No. 1 was a 19th-century American pilot boat built in 1897 for Captain James H. Reid Sr. of Boston and designed by Boston designer Thomas F. McManus. The Boston America did not resemble her famous namesake, yacht America, rather she was designed with a fishing schooner "Indian header" bow. After serving 21 years in the Boston Pilots' Association, the America was sold to David W. Simpson of Boston in 1918.

<i>Unearth</i> (film) 2020 American horror film

Unearth is a 2020 American horror film directed and edited by John C. Lyons and Dorota Swies, from a screenplay by Lyons and Kelsey Goldberg. It stars Adrienne Barbeau and Marc Blucas as the respective heads of two neighboring farm families in the rural United States. When one of the families leases their land to a natural gas company, the resulting fracking releases a force that threatens the lives of both families. Alongside Barbeau and Blucas, the film's cast includes P. J. Marshall, Allison McAtee, Rachel McKeon, Monica Wyche, and Brooke Sorenson.

<i>Guillermo del Toros Cabinet of Curiosities</i> Horror anthology streaming television series

Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities is a horror anthology television miniseries created by Guillermo del Toro for Netflix. It features eight modern horror stories in the traditions of the Gothic and Grand Guignol genres. Two are co-written by del Toro himself, while the others are written and directed by various filmmakers. It premiered on October 25, 2022, and received positive reviews.

Kevin McManus is an American filmmaker and television writer. He is known for writing and directing the 2021 film The Block Island Sound, as well as the 2012 South By Southwest official selection Funeral Kings. He regularly works with his brother, Matthew McManus.

Matthew McManus is an American television writer and filmmaker. He is known for writing and directing the 2012 South By Southwest official selection Funeral Kings, and the 2021 film The Block Island Sound. He regularly works with his brother, Kevin McManus.

<i>House of Darkness</i> (2022 film) 2022 American film

House of Darkness is a 2022 American black comedy horror film directed by Neil LaBute, starring Justin Long, Kate Bosworth, Gia Crovatin and Lucy Walters. The film is a reimagining of Dracula.

<i>Skinamarink</i> 2022 film by Kyle Edward Ball

Skinamarink is a 2022 Canadian experimental horror film, written and directed by Kyle Edward Ball in his feature directorial debut. The film follows a young brother and sister who wake up during the night to discover that they cannot find their father and that the windows, doors, and other objects in their house are disappearing.

<i>The Witch in the Window</i> 2018 American film

The Witch in the Window is a 2018 American supernatural horror film, written and directed by Andy Mitton. The film premiered on 23 July 2018 at Fantasia International Film Festival.

The Harbinger is a 2022 American horror film directed by Andy Mitton, starring Gabby Beans, Emily Davis and Raymond Anthony Thomas.

<i>Dark Nature</i> (2022 film) 2022 Canadian horror film

Dark Nature is a 2022 Canadian horror film written and directed by Berkley Brady in her directorial debut. It stars Hannah Emily Anderson, Helen Belay, Madison Walsh, Roseanne Supernault and Kyra Harper.

Witchboard is a 2024 American supernatural horror film written and directed by Chuck Russell. It is a remake of the 1986 film and stars Jamie Campbell Bower, Madison Iseman, Aaron Dominguez, Antonia Desplat and Charlie Tahan.

References

  1. 1 2 Corrigan, Kalyn (9 September 2020). "'The Block Island Sound' Review: Not Your Typical Aquatic Horror Movie [Fantasia Film Festival]". Slash Film . Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  2. 1 2 Swope, Michelle (29 August 2020). "Fantasia Fest 2020: THE BLOCK ISLAND SOUND Review – A Terrifying Story of Grief and Madness". Dread Central . Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  3. Hipes, Patrick (18 August 2020). "'The Block Island Sound' Teaser Trailer: 'American Vandal' & 'Cobra Kai' Duo Go Horror". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  4. Miska, Brad (15 February 2021). "'The Block Island Sound' Infects Netflix This March". Bloody Disgusting . Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  5. Millican, Josh (14 February 2021). "Festival Hit THE BLOCK ISLAND SOUND Will Arrive on Netflix March 11th". Dread Central . Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  6. "The Block Island Sound". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango . Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  7. Lipsett, Joe (28 August 2020). "[Fantasia Review] 'The Block Island Sound' Is a Daring Horror Mish-Mash". Bloody Disgusting . Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  8. J. Hurtado (7 September 2020). "Fantasia 2020 Review: THE BLOCK ISLAND SOUND Will Have Your Skin Crawling From The First Frame". Screen Anarchy . Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  9. Edward Guimont, "The Isle Is Full of Noises", in Dead Reckonings, No. 29 (New York: Hippocampus Press, 2021), pp. 15-22.