The Barge People: DVD Review

Arriving on VOD, Digital HD, DVD and Blu-ray is Charlie Steeds’ “The Barge People”, which plays out like an aquatic remake of Wes Craven’s “The Hills Have Eyes”.  One of the things that first gabbed my attention as the film began was the fantastic score. Clearly inspired by 80’s horror, most notably the films of John Carpenter, the music here has been composed by Sam Benjafield, STRSGN, and Europaweite Aussichten. Another stand-out is the British canal backdrop, which is beautifully shot. I have seen many mutant creature films, but this is the first time that I can think of in which an isolated canal has been used for a horror film.

When it comes to the film itself, “The Barge People” takes its sweet time getting going. The human characters are not only unappealing, but they are not even the slightest bit interesting.  As for the title creatures, that is different story. The monster designs work quite well and as we get deeper into the film, Steeds does deliver some fun moments.  There is an all-out blood fest that takes place on a barge involving two groups of humans and a handful of barge people. If you like your gore by the pound, this should bring you some joy.

The film isn’t very original and that’s ok, but I wish it didn’t take so long to have some fun.  If you need a fix for a new monster movie, this one might be able to scratch that itch. Running a mere 83 minutes, “The Barge People” is a pretty quick trip.

By: Marc Ferman