Proteus (1995)

Group of heroin smugglers finds shelter on abandoned oil rig after their ship had exploded. Soon they find that the oil rig was just cover for biological experiment. One of the results is ... See full summary »

Director:

Bob Keen

Writers:

John Brosnan (novel), John Brosnan

Stars:

Craig Fairbrass, Toni Barry, William Marsh

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Craig Fairbrass	...	Alex
Toni Barry	...	Linda
William Marsh	...	Mark
Jennifer Calvert	...	Rachel
Robert Firth	...	Paul
Margot Steinberg	...	Christine
Ricco Ross	...	Buckley
Jordan Page	...	Dr. Carol Soames
Nigel Pegram	...	Dr. Shelley
Doug Bradley	...	Leonard Brinkstone
Johnie Chase	...	Brinkstone's Chinese Guard
Jerry Grayson	...	Brinkstone's Chopper Pilot
Neil Finnighan	...	Brinkstone's Armed Guard (as Neil Finnegan)
Tom Lucy	...	Brinkstone's Armed Guard
Billy Davey	...	Brinkstone's Armed Guard

Storyline

Group of heroin smugglers finds shelter on abandoned oil rig after their ship had exploded. Soon they find that the oil rig was just cover for biological experiment. One of the results is Charlie - shape-shifting monster with ability to absorb the memory of its victims. However, even such creatures have their own bad habits.

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Plot Keywords:

oil rig | heroin | drug addict | oil platform | timebomb | 

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Taglines:

Deep in the ocean, new form of horror is taking a shape...

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Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, gore and language

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 July 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

A cápaember

Filming Locations:

Three Mills Studios, Three Mill Lane, Bow, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metrodome Films, Wonderful Films PLC

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Metrotime, a production company formed by Metrodome and the Lifetime Group, were originally set to produce, before the two companies split over creative differences.

User Reviews

Solid premise bogged down by unnecessary plot points

Basically a group is stranded on an abandoned oil rig where some testing has been going on and there's a monster. While that would be enough plot for people, the creators decided to add in some crappy drug smuggling story to it. It may give the group an excuse to be out there but, at the same time, it's pretty much unnecessary and leads to some mediocre subplots. My other issue is all the damn monster-vision shots. We have constant disruptions where we see everything through a blurry (green or red) lens moving quickly. To make it worse, half the time the monster isn't even doing anything! It's just running around, not interacting with the group or anything else. Plus, in the interests of being confusing, we'll occasionally catch glimpses of puddles of organic crap appearing and then transforming yet predictably none of the characters see this plus nobody ever seems to hear anything (an aggravating trend).

Finally somebody is grabbed then, while tracking them, they find an old scientist who tells them they're in danger and they should leave. He then promptly vanishes from a locked room. The story proceeds to get weirder from there. However, it never really gets good. The setting is great, though, and I like the concept. Some of the effects are really neat while others... well, not so much. I love the monster's true form. At the same time so much of the movie just isn't worthwhile and there are just so many pointless moments. And while the ending does help salvage other parts of the film, the whole thing feels like a half-rate rendition of The Thing.

Also, the title is a reference to a Greek mythological shapeshifter.