Mega Piranha
Encyclopedia
Mega Piranha is a 2010 science fiction
disaster
film produced by The Asylum
.
It was directed by Eric Forsberg
and stars Tiffany
, Paul Logan
and Barry Williams
. In the tradition of The Asylum's catalog, this film is a mockbuster
of Piranha 3-D
.
, where a strain of genetically modified
piranha
have escaped into an isolated tributary of the river. Through human interference of the local environment, the megapiranha manage to escape from their isolated spot and swim downstream, killing all that crosses their path. The megapiranha gradually make their way towards Florida
at the height of the tourist season.
After the outbreak, a team including Special Agent Fitch and Sarah Monroe, work to contain the megapiranhas within Venezuela. They begin to get into trouble with the authorities when they attempt to cross over the Venezuelan border. Not having proper clearance and documentation, Special Agent Fitch resorts to using the diplomacy of his fist and drives off. He is pursued by Colonel Antonio Diaz in a high-speed chase through the jungle. Throughout the chase, Fitch alternates driving a Toyota Camry and Hyundai Elantra while Diaz is seen at different points in a GMC Jimmy, Chevrolet Suburban, and Ford Explorer. Fitch escapes by stealing a helicopter and heads to the International Super Bunker (ISB). During the journey, the helicopter runs out of fuel and Sarah Monroe rigs the emergency oxygen tank to the fuel line to make it to the ISB safely.
The megapiranhas continue to move north, consuming two battleships and a nuclear submarine. They eventually reach south Florida, where they kill at least five Puerto Ricans on a beach and manage to blow up two hotels. Meanwhile, the only force that can stop them is located at the ISB. After the megapiranhas prove impervious to both torpedoes and depth charges—and even a nuclear missile fails to stop them—Special Agent Fitch and Professor Sarah Monroe conclude that the only way to stop the megapiranhas is to face them in their own terrain: underwater. An army of SCUBA
divers armed with guns would make the huge fish bleed
, causing them to enter a feeding frenzy and kill each other. If this were to fail, then a massive nuclear strike would be used to destroy the megapiranha, as well as most of Florida.
In the middle of the operation, Colonel Diaz arrives in a helicopter, presumably using multiple oxygen tanks to fuel his journey. The Colonel aims to get revenge on Agent Fitch and throws a rope into the water to trick him into climbing up into the enemy helicopter. Fitch, upon his arrival, shoots the pilot in the mouth with a flare gun, which causes the pilot's head to explode. Fitch then uses a homing beacon (which is actually a canister of CO2) to attract a megapiranha, jumping out of the helicopter shortly before it is consumed by the fishy behemoth.
Fitch is pursued by the megapiranha that ate the helicopter, eventually hiding in a reef where the megapiranha is unable to follow. When the piranha opens its mouth, Fitch shoots his gun at the helicopter still in the beast's jaws. The helicopter explodes, killing the piranha. The other megapiranha converge on the bloodshed and Fitch is able to escape as the piranha enters a feeding frenzy and begin tearing each other to pieces, seemingly resulting in them wiping themselves out. Sarah and Fitch make out and all is well.
was produced to capitalise on the 2010 film Piranha 3-D
. On March 29, 2010 the SyFy
Channel released an exclusive sneak peek of a scene from the film in anticipation of their April 10 premiere of the film. On the April 7, 2010 The Asylum released the official trailer online.
Usual Asylum audience may notice the film recycles short clips from other Asylum films, likely due to low production costs and a limited filming schedule. Such clips come from films like Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus, Journey to Middle Earth, War of the Worlds and Transmorphers: Fall of Man
.
Now, the question becomes whether Mega Piranha means we should expect a super-sized piranha a la Asylum's Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus
or if they are basing their film around the prehistoric Megapiranha
, a toothier, three-foot version of the carnivorous fish that went extinct millions of years ago. Given the big screen 3D remake is about these Megapiranha, I would say odds are high the latter will prove the case.
Despite the initial reaction, the film was a huge hit for Syfy garnering a 2.2 million audience for its April 10 premiere:
Syfy's Saturday night movie "Mega Piranha" drew 2.2 million viewers, making it the channel's most-watched movie of the year. Of those, 807,000 were adults 18-49. This is also a larger audience number than Syfy's Friday night drama "Caprica" has ever seen.
Science fiction film
Science fiction film is a film genre that uses science fiction: speculative, science-based depictions of phenomena that are not necessarily accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial life forms, alien worlds, extrasensory perception, and time travel, often along with futuristic...
disaster
Disaster film
A disaster film is a film genre that has an impending or ongoing disaster as its subject...
film produced by The Asylum
The Asylum
The Asylum is an American film studio and distributor which focuses on producing low-budget, usually direct-to-video productions. The studio has produced titles that capitalize on productions by major studios; these titles have been dubbed "mockbusters" by the press.-History:The Asylum was founded...
.
It was directed by Eric Forsberg
Eric Forsberg
Eric Forsberg is the writer and director of the feature film Mega Piranha, as well as the writer of the feature film Snakes on a Train, a mockbuster produced and released by The Asylum. He also wrote the screenplays for 30,000 Leagues Under the Sea and War of the Worlds 2: The Next Wave, also for...
and stars Tiffany
Tiffany (singer)
Tiffany Renee Darwish , known popularly as Tiffany, is an American singer and former teen icon. She is most notable for her 1987 cover version of "I Think We're Alone Now", originally recorded by Tommy James and the Shondells in 1967. Released as the second single from her eponymous album, Tiffany,...
, Paul Logan
Paul Logan (actor)
Paul Logan is an American born actor best known for his roles in low budget action films. But he is well known for his role as Glen Reiber in Days of Our Lives from 2001 to 2002.-Education:...
and Barry Williams
Barry Williams
Barry William Blenkhorn , known professionally as Barry Williams, is an American actor best known for his role as Greg Brady in the ABC television series The Brady Bunch.-Early life and career:...
. In the tradition of The Asylum's catalog, this film is a mockbuster
Mockbuster
A mockbuster is a film created with the apparent intention of piggy-backing on the publicity of a major film with a similar title or theme and are often made with a low budget. Often these films are created to be released direct-to-video at the same time as the mainstream film reaches theaters or...
of Piranha 3-D
Piranha 3-D
Piranha 3D is a 2010 3D horror film, and the second remake of the 1978 film of the same name. It is directed by Alexandre Aja and sports an ensemble cast featuring Steven R...
.
Plot
The film focuses on the Orinoco River in VenezuelaVenezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, where a strain of genetically modified
Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...
piranha
Piranha
A piranha or piraña is a member of family Characidae in order Characiformes, an omnivorous freshwater fish that inhabits South American rivers. In Venezuela, they are called caribes...
have escaped into an isolated tributary of the river. Through human interference of the local environment, the megapiranha manage to escape from their isolated spot and swim downstream, killing all that crosses their path. The megapiranha gradually make their way towards Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
at the height of the tourist season.
After the outbreak, a team including Special Agent Fitch and Sarah Monroe, work to contain the megapiranhas within Venezuela. They begin to get into trouble with the authorities when they attempt to cross over the Venezuelan border. Not having proper clearance and documentation, Special Agent Fitch resorts to using the diplomacy of his fist and drives off. He is pursued by Colonel Antonio Diaz in a high-speed chase through the jungle. Throughout the chase, Fitch alternates driving a Toyota Camry and Hyundai Elantra while Diaz is seen at different points in a GMC Jimmy, Chevrolet Suburban, and Ford Explorer. Fitch escapes by stealing a helicopter and heads to the International Super Bunker (ISB). During the journey, the helicopter runs out of fuel and Sarah Monroe rigs the emergency oxygen tank to the fuel line to make it to the ISB safely.
The megapiranhas continue to move north, consuming two battleships and a nuclear submarine. They eventually reach south Florida, where they kill at least five Puerto Ricans on a beach and manage to blow up two hotels. Meanwhile, the only force that can stop them is located at the ISB. After the megapiranhas prove impervious to both torpedoes and depth charges—and even a nuclear missile fails to stop them—Special Agent Fitch and Professor Sarah Monroe conclude that the only way to stop the megapiranhas is to face them in their own terrain: underwater. An army of SCUBA
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
divers armed with guns would make the huge fish bleed
Bleeding
Bleeding, technically known as hemorrhaging or haemorrhaging is the loss of blood or blood escape from the circulatory system...
, causing them to enter a feeding frenzy and kill each other. If this were to fail, then a massive nuclear strike would be used to destroy the megapiranha, as well as most of Florida.
In the middle of the operation, Colonel Diaz arrives in a helicopter, presumably using multiple oxygen tanks to fuel his journey. The Colonel aims to get revenge on Agent Fitch and throws a rope into the water to trick him into climbing up into the enemy helicopter. Fitch, upon his arrival, shoots the pilot in the mouth with a flare gun, which causes the pilot's head to explode. Fitch then uses a homing beacon (which is actually a canister of CO2) to attract a megapiranha, jumping out of the helicopter shortly before it is consumed by the fishy behemoth.
Fitch is pursued by the megapiranha that ate the helicopter, eventually hiding in a reef where the megapiranha is unable to follow. When the piranha opens its mouth, Fitch shoots his gun at the helicopter still in the beast's jaws. The helicopter explodes, killing the piranha. The other megapiranha converge on the bloodshed and Fitch is able to escape as the piranha enters a feeding frenzy and begin tearing each other to pieces, seemingly resulting in them wiping themselves out. Sarah and Fitch make out and all is well.
Cast
- TiffanyTiffany (singer)Tiffany Renee Darwish , known popularly as Tiffany, is an American singer and former teen icon. She is most notable for her 1987 cover version of "I Think We're Alone Now", originally recorded by Tommy James and the Shondells in 1967. Released as the second single from her eponymous album, Tiffany,...
as Sarah Monroe - Paul LoganPaul Logan (actor)Paul Logan is an American born actor best known for his roles in low budget action films. But he is well known for his role as Glen Reiber in Days of Our Lives from 2001 to 2002.-Education:...
as Jason Fitch - Barry WilliamsBarry WilliamsBarry William Blenkhorn , known professionally as Barry Williams, is an American actor best known for his role as Greg Brady in the ABC television series The Brady Bunch.-Early life and career:...
as Bob Grady - David LabiosaDavid LabiosaDavid Labiosa is a Hispanic-American actor who had various television appearances. He was in such shows as The Powers of Matthew Star, Silk Stalkings, Diagnosis Murder, NYPD Blue, CSI: Miami, and JAG....
as Colonel Antonio Diaz - Jude Gerard Prest as Dr. Higgins
- Jesse Daly as Gordon
- Alessandro Tierno as Sargento Ayudante
- Jay BeyersJay Beyers-Early life:Jay Beyers was raised in the rural community of North Liberty, Indiana by his mother Mary Ellen Smith until he moved with his father Jeff Beyers when he became a teenager.-Acting career:...
as Seaman Toby - Cooper Harris as Lt. Julia
- Gregory Paul Smith as Greg the submarine navigator
- Jonathan Nation as Mort
- Eric ForsbergEric ForsbergEric Forsberg is the writer and director of the feature film Mega Piranha, as well as the writer of the feature film Snakes on a Train, a mockbuster produced and released by The Asylum. He also wrote the screenplays for 30,000 Leagues Under the Sea and War of the Worlds 2: The Next Wave, also for...
as US Ambassador Arnold Regis - William Morse as Lt. Stritch
- Lola ForsbergLola Forsberg-Biography:Lola Forsberg was born in Santa Monica, California on February 1, 1999. Her mother is stage director and film producer, Karen Goodman Forsberg and her father is filmmaker Eric Forsberg. Lola Forsberg's first feature film was as the baby in Christopher Coppola's Bel Air, shot in 2000...
as Steph - Robert Don as Rodriguez
- David Dustin Kenyon as Lt. Baker
- Sex Henderson as Submarine Crewman
- Jillian Easton as Jane the Reporter
- Matt Lagan as Submarine Captain Jim
- Anthony Wemyss as Bernie
- John P. Napoleon as Lt. Miller
- Sally Elphick as ISB Tech
- Carl Watts as Captain Decker
- Myles Cranford as Sy
- Ryan Sherman as Jim The Tech
- Ashley Carr as Half Dead Person
- Fernando Huc as Jose the Driver
- Natalie Nastulczykova as Technician
Production
The mockbusterMockbuster
A mockbuster is a film created with the apparent intention of piggy-backing on the publicity of a major film with a similar title or theme and are often made with a low budget. Often these films are created to be released direct-to-video at the same time as the mainstream film reaches theaters or...
was produced to capitalise on the 2010 film Piranha 3-D
Piranha 3-D
Piranha 3D is a 2010 3D horror film, and the second remake of the 1978 film of the same name. It is directed by Alexandre Aja and sports an ensemble cast featuring Steven R...
. On March 29, 2010 the SyFy
Syfy
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
Channel released an exclusive sneak peek of a scene from the film in anticipation of their April 10 premiere of the film. On the April 7, 2010 The Asylum released the official trailer online.
Usual Asylum audience may notice the film recycles short clips from other Asylum films, likely due to low production costs and a limited filming schedule. Such clips come from films like Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus, Journey to Middle Earth, War of the Worlds and Transmorphers: Fall of Man
Transmorphers: Fall of Man
Transmorphers: Fall of Man is a 2009 direct-to-DVD science fiction film produced by the American film studio The Asylum. It is a prequel to the 2007 film Transmorphers....
.
Reception
The film was immediately met with derision upon its announcement. The horror film website Dread Central wrote of the film:Now, the question becomes whether Mega Piranha means we should expect a super-sized piranha a la Asylum's Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus
Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus
Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus is a monster/disaster film by The Asylum, released on May 19, 2009, in the United States and on August 7, 2009, in the United Kingdom. It was directed by Ace Hannah and stars singer Debbie Gibson and actor Lorenzo Lamas...
or if they are basing their film around the prehistoric Megapiranha
Megapiranha
Megapiranha is a genus of extinct serrasalmid characin fish from the Late Miocene of Argentina described in 2009. Megapiranha reached lengths of up to 1 meter long, four times the size of the modern-day piranha...
, a toothier, three-foot version of the carnivorous fish that went extinct millions of years ago. Given the big screen 3D remake is about these Megapiranha, I would say odds are high the latter will prove the case.
Despite the initial reaction, the film was a huge hit for Syfy garnering a 2.2 million audience for its April 10 premiere:
Syfy's Saturday night movie "Mega Piranha" drew 2.2 million viewers, making it the channel's most-watched movie of the year. Of those, 807,000 were adults 18-49. This is also a larger audience number than Syfy's Friday night drama "Caprica" has ever seen.
Soundtrack
The score was composed by Chris Ridenhour and featured the song "Frozen Skies" by Tiffany.See also
- Mega Shark Versus Giant OctopusMega Shark Versus Giant OctopusMega Shark Versus Giant Octopus is a monster/disaster film by The Asylum, released on May 19, 2009, in the United States and on August 7, 2009, in the United Kingdom. It was directed by Ace Hannah and stars singer Debbie Gibson and actor Lorenzo Lamas...
- another sea-monster film by The Asylum, starring Deborah Gibson.- Mega Shark Versus Crocosaurus - the 2010 sequel.
- Mega Python vs. GatoroidMega Python vs. GatoroidMega Python vs. Gatoroid is a 2011 monster disaster film by The Asylum, directed by Mary Lambert, and starring pop singers Debbie Gibson and Tiffany. The film premiered theatrically in Texas and premiered on television on January 29, 2011 on Syfy in the United States. The film was released on home...
- A 2011 film by The Asylum starring both Gibson and Tiffany.