In Harpoon, we follow three terrible friends: There's Jonah (Munroe Chambers, who previously played the lead in Turbo Kid), a middle-class loser, Richard (Christopher Gray), a rich asshole with a violent temper, and Sasha (Emily Tyra), the nursing student who is trapped playing the role of peacemaker. When the three decide to scatter Jonah's parent's ashes at sea and party along the way, their yacht stalls in the middle of the ocean. It isn't long before they are at each other's throats. Their friendship will be tested as they must try to survive each other long enough for help to arrive. Brett Gelman (Murray in Stranger Things) steps in to provide some entertaining narration throughout.
Harpoon (which gets its title from the spear-gun Jonah buys Richard for his birthday. It doesn't play as big a part of the proceedings as you think it would) is an ultra-dark comedy that has horror and thriller elements. The film is consistently funny and disturbing. It should come as no surprise that each of our protagonists/antagonists is a terrible person in different ways. Most of the fun comes from the numerous twists and turns throughout, learning each person's numerous secrets, and watching the three turn on each other in increasingly vicious, nasty and violent ways.
Harpoon is directed and written by Rob Grant, and he excels at both. The script is very punchy and well-made, and the directing is top-notch. Each of our protagonists/antagonists are well cast, and are entertaining and fun to watch. It's also cool that various nautical superstitions play a role in the proceedings.
Running at a swift 82 minutes, Harpoon doesn't waste a second of your time. It's incredibly entertaining, dark, and funny. You likely will find it hard to really sympathize with any of the characters, but that's kind of the point. Harpoon is schadenfreude at its finest. Throw on a life vest and dive in!
4 STARS
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