Rumours of a 'Sea Devil' are terrifying local pearl divers in a small Argentine fishing village, but the creature turns out to be the son (Vladimir Korenev) of an idealistic but reclusive scientist (Nikolai Simonov) who has been surgically modified to breath underwater and who falls in love with a young woman Anastasiya Vertinskaya whom he saves from drowning. The premise and the science are a bit shaky and the story is more romantic fantasy than science fiction (the story is closer to 'The Little Mermaid' than to 'The Shape of Water' (2017), to which it has been compared). Unlike a number of Soviet-era science fiction films, the story is not framed as a 'dream' and contains no overt political statement (the 'villain' (Mikhail Kozakov) is a capitalist bourgeois who exploits his workers (the pearl divers) but I doubt that the character would be any different in a 'western-made' film). The film was shot in Baku on the Caspian Sea and the cinematography is striking, with good underwater footage (although much of the sea life is set-dressing) and some interesting touches (I liked the red-tinted transitions). The cast seems quite good (I watched a sub-titled version so hard to judge), especially the romantic leads: Korenev as the handsome young Ichthyander (an unsubtle touch) and Vertinskaya as the beautiful young Guttiere being pushed into a loveless marriage. Kozakov is nicely low-key as the villain and Anatoli Smiranin is quite good as his conflicted henchman Old Baltazar (Guttiere's father). All in all, a pleasant, lightweight fable - unexpected (at least by me) given Soviet cinema's reputation for doctrinaire, party-approved 'serious' films.
Review of Amphibian Man
