Review: The Bay 2012

“The Bay”, directed by Barry Levinson, might just be the most effective, horrifying and important horror movie I have ever seen. “The Bay” is an “ecohorror” and a ‘found footage’ movie, which generally just means that the movie is made using handheld cameras…but in “The Bay” they take ‘found footage’ to a whole new level. The entire movie is basically a compilation of various footage found in the aftermath of the outbreak of a horrific deadly parasite. The footage ranges from reporter’s cameras, to security tapes, to dashboard cams… phones, personal cameras, you names it.. even voicemail messages! All making for a very realistic and powerful movie with a terrifying warning.
“The Bay” uses many recovered recording devices to tell the harrowing story of a fateful 4th of July celebration at Chesapeake Bay in Claredge, Maryland, during which the consequences of such deplorable water pollution become suddenly and horrifically impossible to ignore. It’s so well done and feels so real, that as you’re watching you have to keep reminding yourself that the story is fiction. Although, on that note, I feel the need to point out that, as an “eco-horror”, “The Bay” is trying to send a very real message to the world, and more specifically, to the residents of Chesapeake Bay. If you ask the director (who grew up in Maryland, himself), he will claim that 85% of this film is true…or at least based on fact. That is probably an exaggeration but it is a fact that the level of pollutants in Chesapeake Bay is revoltingly high, to the point of the Bay, indeed being “40% dead”. Technically the parasite specified in the movie, though very much existent, has not been found in the waters of Chesapeake Bay…yet, but it has been found to be traveling out of it’s usual locale. In addition, the specific pollutants (and their disgustingly high levels), mentioned in this film are absolutely accurate, and the effect they could have on any organism that happens to make its way into the waters could, indeed, be catastrophic. This movie is excellent and, though it may be hard to watch, I urge the world to sit through it.. and think.
Note: Barry Levinson made this movie after he saw a documentary on the conditions of Chesapeake Bay, he thought the documentary was fantastic and was dismayed by the realization of how few people would actually ever even watch it…so he decided to put something out there that might get the message across more effectively. I’d say: mission accomplished.