Dead Sea (2024)

🎬 Overview & Production

• Title: Dead Sea (original working title: Flycatcher)

• Genre: Crime Horror / Thriller 

• Director & Writer: Phil Volken 

• Producers: Nicholas Davidoff, Cameron Fuller, Rick Montgomery, Alina Shraybman, Phil Volken

• Cinematography: Helge Gerull

• Music: Gad Emile Zeitune

• Production Companies: Del Rey Films, Laguna Six, 13 Films, H.T. Media Finance, Pine Tree Production, Webros Entertainment, Buffalo 8 Productions 

• Distributor: Vertical Entertainment (limited theatrical release on July 26, 2024)

• Runtime: 88 minutes 

• Language / Country: English / United States

• Box Office: Approximately $40,949

📝 Plot Summary

Kaya Adams (Isabel Gravitt) and her friends—Tessa (Genneya Walton), Julian (Garrett Wareing), and Xander (Koa Tom)—are on a jet‑ski trip from Florida to the Bahamas. A tragic collision leaves Julian dead and Xander critically injured.**

Stranded at sea, they are "rescued" by Captain Rey (Alexander Wraith) aboard a fishing trawler. At first grateful, they soon suspect something sinister. It turns out the ship is a front for an organ‑trafficking operation, led by Dr. Curtis Hunt (Dean Cameron). Xander becomes the first victim, and Tessa is next in line.

Kaya fights back—killing Dr. Hunt and sending Tessa off on a life‑raft while rigging a beacon. She kills Rey by shooting a flare down his throat and is rescued by the Coast Guard the following morning, alongside Tessa.

👥 Main Cast

• Isabel Gravitt as Kaya Adams

• Genneya Walton as Tessa Miles

• Koa Tom as Xander

• Garrett Wareing as Julian

• Alexander Wraith as Captain Rey

• Dean Cameron as Dr. Curtis Hunt

• Al Burke as Sgt. Burke; Brian Silverman as Russell Adams

💭 Reception & Critiques

The film received mixed to negative reviews:

• Rotten Tomatoes cites criticisms of slow pacing, low‑budget visuals, and two‑dimensional characters:

  “It is a low budget movie that is not particularly bad but not good either. It is a whole lot of boring.” 

• Letterboxd labeled it “underwhelming” with “hollow” characters and questionable camera work, though some viewers still found themselves rooting for the protagonists .

• TheMovieBlog.com described it as “predictable” with “shallow character development” and a forgettable atmosphere.

On the positive side, horror fans on Reddit enjoyed its tension and restrained violence:

“Totally recommend – horrific without being a nauseating gore‑fest.”

🔍 Final Thoughts

Dead Sea aims to combine survival drama and crime horror aboard a secluded ship. With its atmospheric maritime setting and tense premise, it offers suspense and body‑horror elements, though it leans on genre clichés, features sparse character depth, and has a slow burn pace. If you like underwater thrillers with light gore and a final girl tale, this might be worth a watch.