BLACK WATER is a pretty good attempt at an Australian survival horror film, although it pales in comparison to the similarly-themed ROGUE (which did better by having a bigger cast) and THE REEF (which is just an all-round fantastic movie). It's loosely based on a true story, featuring a trio of people who find themselves trapped and at the mercy of a gigantic crocodile.

The film treads familiar ground but the good news is that it works for the most part, by staying realistic and using practical effects throughout over CGI. This makes the movie as a whole feel more grounded and somehow more terrifying, as it's easy to believe that what you're seeing on screen is real. The direction is effective and everything featuring the croc itself is well handled.

The screenplay is weaker when it comes to the characters, featuring a trio you don't really care about as none of them are particularly brave or heroic; the acting is hardly of note either. Nonetheless, BLACK WATER proves a worthwhile movie thanks to the strong production values and talent behind the camera and it's one that stands head and shoulders above all of the terrible crocodile movies out there.

While on vacation on Northern Australia, Gracie (Diana Glenn),her husband Adam (Andy Rodoreda) and her younger sister Lee (Maeve Dermody) decide to take the Blackwater Barry tour in the swamp for fishing. Their guide Jim (Ben Oxenbould) uses a small motor boat and takes the tourist along the river to a remote spot. When they stop, they are attacked by a huge crocodile that capsizes their boat and immediately kills Jim. The three survivors climb a tree and when they realize that help would never come to rescue them, they decide to try to find a way out of their sheltered location. However, in the muddy water, their boat is flipped and the crocodile stalks the trio under the water.

"Black Water" is a tense, realistic and dramatic low-budget movie and in accordance with the warning in the beginning, based on a true event. The acting of the unknown Diana Glenn, Maeve Dermody and Andy Rodoreda is top-notch, giving credibility to this simple but scary story. There are many similarities between this movie and "Prey", but in different environments. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Medo Profundo" ("Deep Fear")

Three people with "lunch" written on their forehead get trapped in Australia's backwater by a big crocodile. That is pretty much it for plot. The movie has believable characters and good intensity. It reminded me too much of "Frozen" which was about three kids trapped in a ski lift. If you liked "Frozen" you should love this one, which I found significantly better.

Parental Guide: F-bomb. No sex or nudity.