Creature (TV movie)
Encyclopedia
Creature is a 1998 made for TV movie
starring Craig T. Nelson
, Kim Cattrall
and Matthew Carey
. The movie is based on the 1994 novel White Shark
(re-published as Creature in 1997 to cash in on the movie) by Jaws
author Peter Benchley
. The film is about an amphibious shark-like monster terrorizing an abandoned secret military base and the people who live on the island where it is located.
25 years later...
Dr. Chase (Nelson),a marine bioligist, and his assistant, Tall Man (Williams), find pregnant female Great White Shark
trapped in Ben Mediera's (Alyward) nets. Dr. Chase sets it free. Meanwhile, a local fisherman, Puckett(Burke), retrieves the containment unit and accidentally releases the creature. Mediera is later eaten by the creature. Dr. Chase & Tall Man meet Dr. Macy (Cattrall), her sea lion named Robin, and Dr. Chase's son, Max (Carey), at the airport. As Dr. Chase & Dr. Macy prepare to out on the ocean, Max goes into town. He meets the native kids including Elizabeth (Echikunwoke), the chief's daughter. The local boys tell him he'll have to take the test of bravery and jump from a tall cliff. Mediera's body is found and police Chief Gibson asks Dr. Chase to inspect the body. Chase says even though there is a great white out there it is not the culprit and tells the chief not to let people go after the innocent shark. Dr. Chase and Dr. Macy leave and prepare to go out and find the real culprit. Tall Man arrives, escorted by his girlfriend, Tauna (Michele). Peniston, who has gone crazy and is called 'Werewolf' by the locals, sees the empty containment unit after Puckett brings it ashore. He realizes Mediera was not killed by a shark. Dr. Chase and Dr. Macy are unable to find the Creature and return to Dr. Chase's headquarters (formerly the research facility where the creature was born). Dr. Macy reveals Dr. Chase studies why sharks do not get cancer, which his best friend died from. Meanwhile the kids take turns jumping of the cliff, unaware the creature is lurking right below them. Max and another boy jump in. The creature devours the other boy, but Max escapes. When the boy's body is found, the chief is furious and, no longer listening to Dr. Chase, orders all the fisherman to hunt for the great white. Dr.Chase, Dr. Macy, Max and Tall Man search for the Creature again; this time with success. The creature attacks their boat, but they escape. By this time, Puckett has killed the great white and the islanders celebrate, believing the danger is past. Dr. Chase tells the chief that they are not safe and that he has seen the Creature. However, the chief refuses to believe him. They do research at Dr. Chase's headquarters, and are soon put into contact with Richland. Richland tells Dr. Chase not to do anything until he arrives. Dr. Chase argues that more people could die if they do not take action but Richland does not care. Richland and a troop of NAVY SEALs board a helicopter and set off for the island. Dr. Chase ignores Richland's warning and goes back out into his boat. Peniston uses a horn to attract the creature, which is attracted to noise. The creature attacks him, but Dr. Chase and friends save him. They bring him back to their headquarters. The next day Dr. Chase discovers clawmarks on his boat(proof of his theory of the Great White's innocence). Later, Peniston shows them a secret tunnel leading to the actual research facility. Meanwhile, Richland and the SEALs aproach the island in their helicopter. Dr. Chase and Dr. Macy go down the tunnel and discover it to be half flooded, most likely connected to the ocean. They also discover equipment and notes. They find some of Puckett's traps and wonder how they got there. By the time they realize who brought them, it is too late. The creature ambushes them. They run and the creature gives pursuit, but is only able to go so far until it can't catch up because it's arms and legs are short and weak out of water. It stops and evolves its arms and legs until they are like that of a human. The creature resumes chase. The doctor and her friends manage to escape and reseal the tunnel blocking the creature. They leave the research facility by boat. The creature attacks them when they reach the dock. It is about to kill Max, but then lets him live. Dr. Macy goes to the town doctor and says that she has claw wounds. Dr. Chase discusses the encounter with Chief Gibson, but he still refuses to believe. They decide to send Max back to the States. Elizabeth stops him and says that she can't find her cousin. Elizabeth claims the only place she could be is at the old rum factory(which is now used as a club and place for teenagers to go). They then leave to find it. Puckett goes diving and is killed by the creature. Dr. Chase, Dr. Macy,& Peniston return to headquarters only to be ambushed by Richland and his thugs. He sends a few of his cronies to explore the tunnels. Meanwhile, Max & Elizabeth find the old rum factory out in the swamp. They enter, but don't find her cousin, only Tauna. They head outside to look in the swamp when suddenly a man's head floats to the surface. Max recognizes it as Puckett's. They run away, but the creature jumps out of a tree and chases them. Dr. Chase examines the stuff in the tunnel but Richland destroys it and threatens Chase. The kids make it to Tauna's house and hide and contact Dr. Chase. Before he can make it back, the creature attacks the house. When he arrives, he finds the house in ruins and believes the children are dead, but they come out of their hiding places. Chief Gibons soon arrives and Elizabeth tells him that the creature exists. He finally accepts the beast's existence. The Chief and Richland lead a hunt for the creature in the swamp. Dr. Chase goes with them and exposes Richland as one of the people present at the original event. He says how Richland's cover up put people at risk. Richland threatens to kill him, but the Chief stops him. The creature attacks and kills Richland's men. The Chief falls into the water. But instead of saving him, Richland just watches hoping the creature will attack the Chief so he can kill it and finally settle his the score. Dr. Chase rescues the Chief. The creature obliterate the bridge where Richland is standing. He falls into the water where the creature eats him. Dr. Chase and the Chief escape and make it back to town the next day. There the chief is reunited with Elizabeth and finally understands and accepts Dr. Chase as a good man. Dr. Chase, Tall Man, Max,& Dr.Macy return to headquarters where Peniston is waiting. Dr. Marcy realizes he was there. She angrily asks him why he did not kill the creature. Peniston replies that it was because they used his blood to help create it and that the creature is a part of him. They use Robin with a camera attached to her back to locate the creature. It locates the beast's lair, but before they can retrieve her, the creature attacks and the camera goes blank. Tall Man & Peniston enter the tunnel shortly after. Tall Man shoots at the creature but Peniston interferes. The creature injures Tall Man. Dr. Chase arrives and helps Tall Man escape, but are pursued by the creature. The creature quickly gains the upper hand and almost kills Chase. Max uses Peniston's sound device to destract the creature. It attacks him, but he uses a zipline to escape. Peniston takes the sound device and lures the creature into the pressure chamer. Dr. Chase locks them in and activates it, building greater and greater pressure. The creature kills Peniston. The pressure finally causes the beast to explode. Later, the survivors walk into the sun set ready to board the boat, presumablly to go back to town and never return to the island.
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
starring Craig T. Nelson
Craig T. Nelson
Craig Theodore Nelson is an American actor. He is probably best known for his Emmy-winning roles as Hayden Fox on the TV series Coach, and as Steve Freeling in the 1982 film Poltergeist. He also starred in The Incredibles in 2004 as Mr...
, Kim Cattrall
Kim Cattrall
Kim Victoria Cattrall is an English actress. She is known for her role as Samantha Jones in the HBO comedy/romance series Sex and the City, and for her leading roles in the 1980s films Police Academy, Big Trouble in Little China, Mannequin, and Porky's...
and Matthew Carey
Matthew Carey
Matthew Carey is an American film and television actor who has appeared in films such as The Banger Sisters , November , Old School and a 1997 remake of the television sitcom Leave It to Beaver. He also had a recurring role in the first season of the television series 24 in 2001.- External links :...
. The movie is based on the 1994 novel White Shark
White Shark (novel)
White Shark is a 1994 novel by author Peter Benchley, famous for Jaws, The Island, Beast and The Deep. It is similar to Jaws, but it does not feature a shark, unlike the title suggests...
(re-published as Creature in 1997 to cash in on the movie) by Jaws
Jaws (novel)
Jaws is a 1974 novel by Peter Benchley. It tells the story of a great white shark that preys upon a small resort town, and the voyage of three men to kill it....
author Peter Benchley
Peter Benchley
Peter Bradford Benchley was an American author, best known for his novel Jaws and its subsequent film adaptation, the latter co-written by Benchley and directed by Steven Spielberg...
. The film is about an amphibious shark-like monster terrorizing an abandoned secret military base and the people who live on the island where it is located.
Plot
The film starts with Richland (Feore), who was sent to visit a government facility on a remote island. He follows Peniston (Esposito) into the facility. The head scientist Dr.Bishop (Reineke) shows them the projects he is working on, including a shark and dolphin hybrid with the ability to adapt to any environment, a.k.a. the Creature. It breaks free from it's tank and kills Dr. Bishop. Richland orders Peniston to kill it, but Peniston instead traps the Creature in a containment unit and dumps it in the sea.25 years later...
Dr. Chase (Nelson),a marine bioligist, and his assistant, Tall Man (Williams), find pregnant female Great White Shark
Great white shark
The great white shark, scientific name Carcharodon carcharias, also known as the great white, white pointer, white shark, or white death, is a large lamniform shark found in coastal surface waters in all major oceans. It is known for its size, with the largest individuals known to have approached...
trapped in Ben Mediera's (Alyward) nets. Dr. Chase sets it free. Meanwhile, a local fisherman, Puckett(Burke), retrieves the containment unit and accidentally releases the creature. Mediera is later eaten by the creature. Dr. Chase & Tall Man meet Dr. Macy (Cattrall), her sea lion named Robin, and Dr. Chase's son, Max (Carey), at the airport. As Dr. Chase & Dr. Macy prepare to out on the ocean, Max goes into town. He meets the native kids including Elizabeth (Echikunwoke), the chief's daughter. The local boys tell him he'll have to take the test of bravery and jump from a tall cliff. Mediera's body is found and police Chief Gibson asks Dr. Chase to inspect the body. Chase says even though there is a great white out there it is not the culprit and tells the chief not to let people go after the innocent shark. Dr. Chase and Dr. Macy leave and prepare to go out and find the real culprit. Tall Man arrives, escorted by his girlfriend, Tauna (Michele). Peniston, who has gone crazy and is called 'Werewolf' by the locals, sees the empty containment unit after Puckett brings it ashore. He realizes Mediera was not killed by a shark. Dr. Chase and Dr. Macy are unable to find the Creature and return to Dr. Chase's headquarters (formerly the research facility where the creature was born). Dr. Macy reveals Dr. Chase studies why sharks do not get cancer, which his best friend died from. Meanwhile the kids take turns jumping of the cliff, unaware the creature is lurking right below them. Max and another boy jump in. The creature devours the other boy, but Max escapes. When the boy's body is found, the chief is furious and, no longer listening to Dr. Chase, orders all the fisherman to hunt for the great white. Dr.Chase, Dr. Macy, Max and Tall Man search for the Creature again; this time with success. The creature attacks their boat, but they escape. By this time, Puckett has killed the great white and the islanders celebrate, believing the danger is past. Dr. Chase tells the chief that they are not safe and that he has seen the Creature. However, the chief refuses to believe him. They do research at Dr. Chase's headquarters, and are soon put into contact with Richland. Richland tells Dr. Chase not to do anything until he arrives. Dr. Chase argues that more people could die if they do not take action but Richland does not care. Richland and a troop of NAVY SEALs board a helicopter and set off for the island. Dr. Chase ignores Richland's warning and goes back out into his boat. Peniston uses a horn to attract the creature, which is attracted to noise. The creature attacks him, but Dr. Chase and friends save him. They bring him back to their headquarters. The next day Dr. Chase discovers clawmarks on his boat(proof of his theory of the Great White's innocence). Later, Peniston shows them a secret tunnel leading to the actual research facility. Meanwhile, Richland and the SEALs aproach the island in their helicopter. Dr. Chase and Dr. Macy go down the tunnel and discover it to be half flooded, most likely connected to the ocean. They also discover equipment and notes. They find some of Puckett's traps and wonder how they got there. By the time they realize who brought them, it is too late. The creature ambushes them. They run and the creature gives pursuit, but is only able to go so far until it can't catch up because it's arms and legs are short and weak out of water. It stops and evolves its arms and legs until they are like that of a human. The creature resumes chase. The doctor and her friends manage to escape and reseal the tunnel blocking the creature. They leave the research facility by boat. The creature attacks them when they reach the dock. It is about to kill Max, but then lets him live. Dr. Macy goes to the town doctor and says that she has claw wounds. Dr. Chase discusses the encounter with Chief Gibson, but he still refuses to believe. They decide to send Max back to the States. Elizabeth stops him and says that she can't find her cousin. Elizabeth claims the only place she could be is at the old rum factory(which is now used as a club and place for teenagers to go). They then leave to find it. Puckett goes diving and is killed by the creature. Dr. Chase, Dr. Macy,& Peniston return to headquarters only to be ambushed by Richland and his thugs. He sends a few of his cronies to explore the tunnels. Meanwhile, Max & Elizabeth find the old rum factory out in the swamp. They enter, but don't find her cousin, only Tauna. They head outside to look in the swamp when suddenly a man's head floats to the surface. Max recognizes it as Puckett's. They run away, but the creature jumps out of a tree and chases them. Dr. Chase examines the stuff in the tunnel but Richland destroys it and threatens Chase. The kids make it to Tauna's house and hide and contact Dr. Chase. Before he can make it back, the creature attacks the house. When he arrives, he finds the house in ruins and believes the children are dead, but they come out of their hiding places. Chief Gibons soon arrives and Elizabeth tells him that the creature exists. He finally accepts the beast's existence. The Chief and Richland lead a hunt for the creature in the swamp. Dr. Chase goes with them and exposes Richland as one of the people present at the original event. He says how Richland's cover up put people at risk. Richland threatens to kill him, but the Chief stops him. The creature attacks and kills Richland's men. The Chief falls into the water. But instead of saving him, Richland just watches hoping the creature will attack the Chief so he can kill it and finally settle his the score. Dr. Chase rescues the Chief. The creature obliterate the bridge where Richland is standing. He falls into the water where the creature eats him. Dr. Chase and the Chief escape and make it back to town the next day. There the chief is reunited with Elizabeth and finally understands and accepts Dr. Chase as a good man. Dr. Chase, Tall Man, Max,& Dr.Macy return to headquarters where Peniston is waiting. Dr. Marcy realizes he was there. She angrily asks him why he did not kill the creature. Peniston replies that it was because they used his blood to help create it and that the creature is a part of him. They use Robin with a camera attached to her back to locate the creature. It locates the beast's lair, but before they can retrieve her, the creature attacks and the camera goes blank. Tall Man & Peniston enter the tunnel shortly after. Tall Man shoots at the creature but Peniston interferes. The creature injures Tall Man. Dr. Chase arrives and helps Tall Man escape, but are pursued by the creature. The creature quickly gains the upper hand and almost kills Chase. Max uses Peniston's sound device to destract the creature. It attacks him, but he uses a zipline to escape. Peniston takes the sound device and lures the creature into the pressure chamer. Dr. Chase locks them in and activates it, building greater and greater pressure. The creature kills Peniston. The pressure finally causes the beast to explode. Later, the survivors walk into the sun set ready to board the boat, presumablly to go back to town and never return to the island.
Cast & Characters
- Craig T. NelsonCraig T. NelsonCraig Theodore Nelson is an American actor. He is probably best known for his Emmy-winning roles as Hayden Fox on the TV series Coach, and as Steve Freeling in the 1982 film Poltergeist. He also starred in The Incredibles in 2004 as Mr...
as Dr. Simon Chase, the main protagonist. He is a scientist who studies sharks. He is the first person to realize the creature is not an average shark. - Kim CattrallKim CattrallKim Victoria Cattrall is an English actress. She is known for her role as Samantha Jones in the HBO comedy/romance series Sex and the City, and for her leading roles in the 1980s films Police Academy, Big Trouble in Little China, Mannequin, and Porky's...
as Dr. Amanda Macy, the deuteragonist and wife/girlfriend of Dr. Chase - Colm FeoreColm FeoreColm Feore is an American-born Canadian stage, film and television actor.-Early life:Feore was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Irish parents who lived in Ireland for several years during Feore's early life. The family subsequently moved to Windsor, Ontario, where Feore grew up.After graduating...
as Adm. Aaron Richland, the secondary antagonist. He is a government agent who attempts to kill the creature. He was there when the creature escaped and was attacked. He has a personal vendetta against the creature. He is eaten by the creature. - Cress WilliamsCress WilliamsCress Williams is an American film and television actor, best known for playing the hitman, Wyatt in Prison Break and Detective Ed Williams in Close to Home. He is also known for his role as Inspector Antwon Babcock in the final season of Nash Bridges, and as D’Shawn Hardell in seasons 4 and 5 of...
as Tall Man, Dr. Chase's assistant and close friend. - Michael Reilly BurkeMichael Reilly BurkeMichael Reilly Burke is an American actor. He played Rex Van De Kamp on the unaired pilot of Desperate Housewives. Steven Culp replaced him before the pilot aired. He also appeared in The WB series Charmed in the episode Heartbreak City...
as Adam Puckett, an ambitous fisherman. He has a rivalry with Dr. Chase. He found the containment unit and unkowingly released the creature. He was killed by the creature while scuba diving. They later find his head floating in the water at a nearby swamp. - Blu Makuma as Chief Gibson, the chief of police on the island. He is Elizabeth's father and dislikes Dr. Chase.
- Michael MicheleMichael MicheleMichael Michele is an American film and television actress. She played Dr. Cleo Finch on the medical drama ER and Det. Rene Sheppard on the police procedural Homicide: Life on the Street...
as Tauna, Tall Man's girlfriend. - Matthew CareyMatthew CareyMatthew Carey is an American film and television actor who has appeared in films such as The Banger Sisters , November , Old School and a 1997 remake of the television sitcom Leave It to Beaver. He also had a recurring role in the first season of the television series 24 in 2001.- External links :...
as Maxwell Chase, Dr. Chase's son. He is the tritagonist. - Megalyn EchikunwokeMegalyn EchikunwokeMegalyn Ann Echikunwoke is an American actress and model.-Early life:Echikunwoke was born on May 28, 1983, in Spokane, Washington, but she was raised on a Navajo Native American Reservation in Chinle, Arizona. She is the daughter of a Nigerian-Igbo father and a German/Scots-Irish American mother...
as Elizabeth, the chief's daughter and Max's girlfriend. - John AylwardJohn AylwardJohn Aylward is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for playing the former DNC chairman Barry Goodwin on the NBC television series The West Wing and for playing Dr. Donald Anspaugh on the NBC television series ER. He also supplied his voice for Dr. Arne Magnusson in Half-Life 2: Episode...
as Ben Madiera, a mean fisherman on the island. He is eaten by the creature. - Giancarlo EspositoGiancarlo EspositoGiancarlo Giuseppe Alessandro Esposito is a Danish-born American film and television actor and director.-Early life:Esposito was born in Copenhagen, Denmark to an Italian father and African-American mother. His mother was an opera and nightclub singer from Alabama, who once appeared on the same...
as Lt. Thomas Peniston (Werewolf), he was the assistant to Dr. Bishop. He did not kill the creature when he was sopposed to. The guilt of letting it live and the fear of it returning drives him insane. He allows himself to be killed by the creature at the end in order to destroy it. - Gary Reineke as Dr. Ernest Bishop, the man who created the creature. It eats him in the beginning of the film.
- Other non-human characters include The Creature, a highly adaptive shark-man with the intelligence of a dolphin. It is the main antagonist. Another character is Robin, Dr. Macy's sea lion. He is presumed to have been eaten by the creature.