Alright, well first of all, just based from the movie cover, you already know this is going to be something like a standard horror movie from the late 80's / early 90's, and sure enough - it is! This movie is just screaming late 80's/early 90's horror flick. From the way it is shot, the storyline and the setting. Let's take an isolated rig out in the middle of the ocean, miles from land. Throw in a storm, of course, for good measure. Then cut off communications with mainland and then have some strange creature come aboard the rig. A creature no one ever heard or seen before. Yeah, late 80's/early 90's cocktail right there.
Oh, and while we are at it, lets put William Forsythe's name up on the poster, then we have a semi-famous name to draw people in. Now, this puzzles me indeed, especially because his role in the movie is no more than a supporting role, if that much even.
Anyway, "The Rig" is actually filmed in an adequate manner, especially if you are into horror movies from back in the day. The setting of the movie, well it has been used a bit too much in the past.
The people in the movie also did a good enough job with their roles. But you never really got to feel for any of the characters, as they were all just portrayed superficially. There were very little character development and building in this movie. Basically just your standard isolation-horror-with-slim-survival-chance-movie here.
And what was up with the storm? At one point it was furious and pounding the rig with no mercy. But when they had to go out to walk on the cranes (or whatever it was) the storm had dissipated? Even though they had said it wouldn't break up before the next day? And once off the crane, it started to thunder and get sort of stormy again? Tch, tch...
I must admit that I blackout and snoozed maybe 10 or 15 minutes away of the movie, but when I woke up, I could immediately get back into the movie and the story, because nothing major happened, nothing that couldn't afforded to be missed anyway.
What ticks me off in these types of movies, is the fact that you rarely get to see the creatures in full detail. It is always blurred motion, small and fast glimpses, silhouettes, or whatever they come up with to make it more thrilling and creeping. No, no, no! It doesn't' work to that end, it doesn't become thrilling, it doesn't become scary. I will tell you what it becomes; it becomes annoying and frustrating. As a movie lover, I want to see such monsters, I want to see the horror that stalks the people. I am not content with glimpses here and there. It makes the whole project reek of low-budget and cheesy effects.
If you are in for an evening of horror in the predictable genre, then this might be something right up your alley. But if you, like me, prefer more than just cheap thrills and bad plots, don't bet your money on "The Rig". The movie is bearable to sit through if you have nothing else at hand, but there are far better horror movies available. And don't get fooled by an otherwise rather interesting-looking movie cover!
