SHARKTOPUS (2010)

Sharktopus is like a movie made by Homer Simpson, for Homer Simpson . . .

A genetically-modified crossbreed between a shark and octopus created by the U.S. military goes on rampage and chows down on scantily dressed female sunbathers. Why the navy would need a mind-controlled shark / octopus creature is a bit of a mystery – maybe they want to clamp down on cigarette smugglers or something. Or perhaps Peter Griffin took over U.S. military spending.

Soon Eric Roberts – who must be wondering where his career went whereas his sister’s took a completely different turn – heads a team to destroy the wacky creature before it winds up eating more tourists hanging around in some of Mexico’s more exotic locales. (The movie must be sponsored by the Mexican tourist bureau – except for the drug gangs and mutant sea monsters it looks like a very nice place to visit!)

If you don’t break out in a silly grin each time the titular creature appears to gobble up anything from bungee jumpers to street performers – it looks like the punch line to a Gary Larson cartoon! – then life has probably passed you by. And chances are that this “so bad it’s actually fun” low-budget affair produced by legendary (or is that infamous?) B-movie producer Roger Corman isn’t for you then. (Corman also makes a small cameo a la Stan Lee in a scene that Carl Hiaasen would have written if he were on seriously bad acid and had to rewrite Jaws.)

RECOMMENDATION: For B-movie fans . . . and Homer Simpson.