Frankenfish
Encyclopedia
Frankenfish is a 2004 creature horror movie dealing with genetically engineered fish in the bayou
. The film was based on the snakehead fish incident in a Crofton, Maryland
, pond. It is one of two movies based on the incident, the other being Snakehead Terror
.
Mary Callahan travel into the bayou to investigate the mysterious death of a fisherman. Having grown up in the area, Sam is comfortable in his surroundings while Mary is not. They find Elmer noodling
for catfish in the swamp canals. With Elmer, Sam and Mary travel up river to the fishing community. They meet Gloria, the wife of the deceased fisherman. Gloria's daughter Eliza and her semi-boyfriend Dan also live in the house. Gloria explains that a boat washed up river a few months ago and strange things have happened since.
Sam and Mary find the boat along the bank of a canal. They explore the interior while Elmer waits in the canoe outside. They discover the remains of the crew in the hold. Upset, Mary clumsily knocks Elmer from the canoe and something drags him down. Sam and Mary flee in the canoe, unaware that they have triggered a homing signal on the ship. On the mainland a team relays the information to their employer a wealthy bounty hunter
.
One of the villagers heard noises while on his porch. He leans over the edge and a frankenfish leaps up and decapitates him. His girlfriend attempts to escape the houseboat on a canoe but the fish flips her out and devours her. Frightened, the group tries to flee in boats but the fish destroys them. On a neighboring stilt house, Ricardo baits a large hook using an entire catfish and manages to land one of the frankenfish. Nearly as big as a full-grown man, the fish can breathe air and hops forward biting at Ricardo's legs. Ricardo manages to kill it with a shotgun blast to the head. In vengeance he tears out its heart and barbecues it. As he takes his first bite a second frankenfish leaps from the water and devours him.
While everyone panics, Mary declares she has an idea on how to get off the boathouse. Before she can explain a shotgun, left in the still-burning fire from the barbecue, shoots her. The same fire propels a propane tank into the boathouse causing an explosion that sends Eliza into the water. Sam dives in and rescues her at the same time a frankenfish leaps from the water and bites off Gloria's legs. The fish have begun attacking the boathouses, punching holes in them to make them sink.
The bounty hunter and his crew arrive and the fish attack them too. Knocked out of the boat, they swim quickly to the safety of the sinking stilt houses. The hunter explains that the fish are genetically engineered snakeheads. Sam, Eliza and Dan have no choice but to join the hunter in pursuing the fish.
The crew follows a trail of blood back to the fish's den. The hunter forces Sam at gunpoint to enter first. Sam flees the den as behind him a frankenfish kills two hunters. Dan, Sam and Eliza quickly leave on the fan boat, chased by the frankenfish. Dan falls from the boat during the chase but scrambles up a mudbank. Realizing they cannot outrace the monster, Sam drives the fanboat up a stand of tree stumps and knocks off the protective lining of the fan. Unable to slow its momentum, the frankenfish launches into the whirling blades to its death. Sam and Eliza kiss and go back the way they came to get Dan. However, Dan is trapped in the mud as dozens of baby frankenfish attack him.
Bayou
A bayou is an American term for a body of water typically found in flat, low-lying areas, and can refer either to an extremely slow-moving stream or river , or to a marshy lake or wetland. The name "bayou" can also refer to creeks that see level changes due to tides and hold brackish water which...
. The film was based on the snakehead fish incident in a Crofton, Maryland
Crofton, Maryland
Crofton is a census-designated place and planned community in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. Established in 1964, Crofton held its 40th birthday celebration in 2004....
, pond. It is one of two movies based on the incident, the other being Snakehead Terror
Snakehead Terror
Snakehead Terror is a science fiction / horror film released in March 2004. It is one of two Syfy Channel films based on the snakehead fish incident in a Crofton, Maryland pond...
.
Plot
Medical examiner Sam Rivers and biologistBiologist
A biologist is a scientist devoted to and producing results in biology through the study of life. Typically biologists study organisms and their relationship to their environment. Biologists involved in basic research attempt to discover underlying mechanisms that govern how organisms work...
Mary Callahan travel into the bayou to investigate the mysterious death of a fisherman. Having grown up in the area, Sam is comfortable in his surroundings while Mary is not. They find Elmer noodling
Noodling
Noodling is fishing for catfish using only bare hands, practiced primarily in the southern United States. The noodler places his hand inside a discovered catfish hole...
for catfish in the swamp canals. With Elmer, Sam and Mary travel up river to the fishing community. They meet Gloria, the wife of the deceased fisherman. Gloria's daughter Eliza and her semi-boyfriend Dan also live in the house. Gloria explains that a boat washed up river a few months ago and strange things have happened since.
Sam and Mary find the boat along the bank of a canal. They explore the interior while Elmer waits in the canoe outside. They discover the remains of the crew in the hold. Upset, Mary clumsily knocks Elmer from the canoe and something drags him down. Sam and Mary flee in the canoe, unaware that they have triggered a homing signal on the ship. On the mainland a team relays the information to their employer a wealthy bounty hunter
Bounty hunter
A bounty hunter captures fugitives for a monetary reward . Other names, mainly used in the United States, include bail enforcement agent and fugitive recovery agent.-Laws in the U.S.:...
.
One of the villagers heard noises while on his porch. He leans over the edge and a frankenfish leaps up and decapitates him. His girlfriend attempts to escape the houseboat on a canoe but the fish flips her out and devours her. Frightened, the group tries to flee in boats but the fish destroys them. On a neighboring stilt house, Ricardo baits a large hook using an entire catfish and manages to land one of the frankenfish. Nearly as big as a full-grown man, the fish can breathe air and hops forward biting at Ricardo's legs. Ricardo manages to kill it with a shotgun blast to the head. In vengeance he tears out its heart and barbecues it. As he takes his first bite a second frankenfish leaps from the water and devours him.
While everyone panics, Mary declares she has an idea on how to get off the boathouse. Before she can explain a shotgun, left in the still-burning fire from the barbecue, shoots her. The same fire propels a propane tank into the boathouse causing an explosion that sends Eliza into the water. Sam dives in and rescues her at the same time a frankenfish leaps from the water and bites off Gloria's legs. The fish have begun attacking the boathouses, punching holes in them to make them sink.
The bounty hunter and his crew arrive and the fish attack them too. Knocked out of the boat, they swim quickly to the safety of the sinking stilt houses. The hunter explains that the fish are genetically engineered snakeheads. Sam, Eliza and Dan have no choice but to join the hunter in pursuing the fish.
The crew follows a trail of blood back to the fish's den. The hunter forces Sam at gunpoint to enter first. Sam flees the den as behind him a frankenfish kills two hunters. Dan, Sam and Eliza quickly leave on the fan boat, chased by the frankenfish. Dan falls from the boat during the chase but scrambles up a mudbank. Realizing they cannot outrace the monster, Sam drives the fanboat up a stand of tree stumps and knocks off the protective lining of the fan. Unable to slow its momentum, the frankenfish launches into the whirling blades to its death. Sam and Eliza kiss and go back the way they came to get Dan. However, Dan is trapped in the mud as dozens of baby frankenfish attack him.
Cast
(in credits order)- Tory KittlesTory KittlesTory Kittles is an American actor. He has appeared in films such as Malibu's Most Wanted, Get Rich or Die Tryin, Next, and Miracle at St...
as Sam Rivers - K.D. Aubert as Eliza
- China ChowChina ChowChina Chow is a British actress and model.-Personal life:Chow was born in London, England to restaurateur Michael Chow and late model/designer Tina Chow. She is of Chinese, Japanese, German, and Scottish ancestry. Chow has a brother who is three years younger. Her aunt is actress and one-time Bond...
as Mary Callahan - Matthew Rauch as Dan
- Donna Biscoe as Gloria Crankton
- Tomas AranaTomas Arana-Life and career:Arana was born in Auburn, California. He grew up in San Francisco and studied classical theatre at the prestigious American Conservatory Theater and at the City College of San Francisco. Afterwards he relocated to New York and acted in off-Broadway productions...
as Jeff - Mark Boone, Jr.Mark Boone JuniorMark Boone Junior is an American actor perhaps best known for his roles as Bobby Munson in FX's Sons of Anarchy and in two films by Christopher Nolan, Memento and Batman Begins...
as Joseph - Reggie LeeReggie Lee (actor)Reggie Lee is an American actor who played William Kim on the show Prison Break and also appeared as Tai Huang in two Pirates of the Caribbean films, as well as The Fast and the Furious...
as Anton - Noelle Evans as Bobbi
- Richard EdsonRichard EdsonRichard Edson is an American actor and musician.-Biography:Edson was born in New Rochelle, New York. He has one brother, Steven, who resides in the Boston area, and two sisters: Andrea, who resides in Newton, Massachusetts and Jennifer, who resides in New York City. His father Arnold was one of...
as Roland - Muse WatsonMuse WatsonMuse Watson is an American stage and screen actor. He most recently appeared as the recurring character Mike Franks in the television drama NCIS.-Biography:Watson was born on July 20, 1948 in Alexandria, Louisiana...
as Elmer - Steve Ritzi as Pilot
- Ron Gural as Coroner/Sheriff
- Eugene Collier as John Crankton
- Sean Patterson as Abrams
- Raoul TrujilloRaoul TrujilloBorn Jose Raoul TrujilloAlso known as Raul Trujillo and Max Cheblon|parents= Luis and Lorraine TrujilloHis official website is raoultrujilloinfo.com, created by Charmaine deValois in London....
as Ricardo - Marco St. JohnMarco St. JohnMarco St. John is an American actor who has starred in many films and on television. He is best known for his role as the perverted truck driver in the 1991 hit film Thelma & Louise. St. John is also well known in the horror fan community for playing Sheriff Tucker in the 1985 horror film Friday...
as Chief