**_An impressive eco-thriller that could benefit from more clearly defined characters_** >_It is a curious situation that the sea, from which life first arose should now be threatened by the activities of one form of that life._ - Rachel Carson; _The Sea Around Us_ (1951) >_From the ocean came a roar of passions that seemed to have broken through all barriers: 'We must procreate and multiply! We must exhaust all the powers of lust!' The waves glowed like lava, and I imagined I could see multitudes of living beings – algae, whales, sea monsters – revelling in an orgy, from the surface to_ _the bottom of the sea. Immortality was the law here._ - Isaac Bashevis Singer; "Hanka"; from _Passions and Other Stories_ (1975) The first feature film from writer/director Neasa Hardiman explores issues such as humanity's impact on the environment, the tendency to dismiss anything that can’t be exploited for profit, and how insignificant humans are when compared to nature's wonders. Drawing inspiration from David Cronenberg's body horror films, Ridley Scott's _Alien_ (1979), and John Carpenter's _The Thing_ (1982), the film would improve with some refinement, particularly in character development, and the ending feels somewhat underwhelming, but Hardiman creates a strong atmosphere, making this an impressive debut. Siobhán (played by Hermione Corfield, sporting vibrant red hair and a convincing Irish accent) is a doctoral student focused on marine biology, specifically unusual ecological patterns. Uncomfortable with being assigned practical experience outside of the lab, she’s asked to join a fishing boat as part of her training. The _Niamh Chinn-Óir_, owned by Freya (Connie Nielsen) and captained by her husband Gerard (Dougray Scott), has been struggling financially. However, Gerard believes he's found a large shoal of fish that could change their fortunes. Meanwhile, Siobhán gets to know the crew: Ciara (Olwen Fouéré), Johnny (Jack Hickey), engineer Omid (Ardalan Esmaili), and young Sudi (Elie Bouakaze). After setting sail, Gerard discovers the shoal has moved into a restricted zone and enters it without informing anyone. Soon after, the _Niamh_ collides with something and becomes entangled. Investigating, Siobhán is astonished to find large, bioluminescent tentacles attached to the hull, rising from the depths. She excitedly announces they may have encountered an unknown creature, but when it's revealed that the tentacles are releasing dangerous microscopic parasites onto the _Niamh_, the crew finds themselves fighting for survival against each other. In Irish mythology’s _Fhiannaíocht_ cycle, Niamh Chinn Óir is the daughter of Manannán mac Lir, king of the Otherworld, Tír na nÓg. After falling in love with Oisín, son of Fionn mac Cumhaill, she brings him to Tír na nÓg, where they spend three years; however, 300 years have passed on Earth. When Oisín returns to Ireland, he finds his homeland desolate. He dismounts from his horse and touches the ground, breaking the spell of youth and instantly aging. Before dying, he recounts stories of the _fianna_ to Saint Pádraig. This is relevant to _Sea Fever_, as the exclusion zone represents Tír na nÓg, and the _Niamh_ acts like Oisín, venturing into a place it shouldn't be, one that will fundamentally change it. The possibility of the Niamh returning to Ireland carrying an infection parallels Oisín being 'infected' with age after touching Irish soil. During a post-screening Q&A with Hardiman at the film’s premiere, she explained that her inspiration was to create a film that challenges narratives which depict scientific methods as isolated, unimportant, and irrelevant. The film incorporates a considerable amount of real-world science – from Siobhán's research and explanations of marine biology to discussions about the creature’s possible biochemistry and how the parasites enter the bloodstream (their exit is disturbing). Later in the film, there are conversations about whether the _Niamh_ should return to Ireland, with Siobhán trying to make the crew understand the potential consequences of introducing the parasites into a populated area. While not entirely based on scientific fact,

Source on TMDB