Director: Pål Øie
Writers: Vilde Eide, Kjersti Helen Rasmussen, Natasha Arthur
Stars: Sara Khorami, Mikkel Bratt Silset, Ingvild Holthe Bygdnes
Synopsis: A marine biologist is doing research on a fish farm when she encounters several strange occurrences. Along with the brutal deaths of two teenagers, all signs point to the deep fjord; can there be more to the depths than the eye can see?
From the enduring success of Jaws to modern crowd-pleasers like The Meg, there’s something undeniably entertaining about humans battling creatures far beyond their understanding. Creature features can lean into camp, horror, suspense, or even social commentary depending on the filmmaker. Kraken, directed by Pål Øie, simply keeps things grounded in atmosphere and tension, producing a high-end quality monster horror film.
Set against the haunting backdrop of Norway’s deepest fjord, Kraken tells the story of a marine biologist investigating strange activity around a fish farm who soon finds herself drawn into a series of increasingly disturbing incidents, including the brutal deaths of two teenagers. As rumors spread and the water becomes more dangerous, it slowly becomes clear that something ancient may be lurking beneath the fjord’s icy depths.
The premise itself is fairly straightforward, but the film benefits enormously from its setting. The fjord landscapes are stunning yet ominous, and the cinematography makes excellent use of the cold blue-grey color palette. Even before the monster fully reveals itself, the vast, unknown environment creates a quiet suspense. The dark water, towering cliffs, and near-constant mist create a naturally unsettling atmosphere. Unlike many modern creature features that rush toward nonstop action, Kraken allows suspense to simmer. The monster itself, when it does arrive, is big and booming, and thankfully the CGI isn’t poor or tacky and doesn’t take away from the beautiful use of shots in the film.
The script is quite clever, offering audiences a look into the way of life in Norway’s fish farming industry. There’s also something refreshing about how seriously the film takes its folklore elements. Rather than turning the mythology into cheesy exposition, Kraken folds Nordic legend into the narrative organically. It gives the story a slightly more haunting quality than the average monster film, grounding the creature within local history and superstition rather than simply presenting it as another oversized, unconvincing CGI threat.
Sara Khorami anchors the film as the increasingly desperate marine biologist trying to make sense of the growing chaos around her. She brings enough intelligence and emotional realism to stop the character from becoming another generic horror protagonist constantly making terrible decisions. Mikkel Bratt Silset, Øyvind Brandtzæg, and Jenny Evensen all contribute solid supporting performances, helping the film maintain a believable emotional core even when things become increasingly monstrous.
When you hear the word ‘Kraken, you may think of the delicious rum alcoholic drink, or the spectacular CGI work from Pirates of the Caribbean; either way, it’s something exotic and exciting. This film doesn’t live up to the drama as it opts for a quieter, more intense and suspenseful take on the creature feature. Which isn’t a bad thing. Modern monster movies often ruin their creatures by showing too much too early, but Kraken keeps enough mystery intact to preserve the fear factor. The creature isn’t constantly thrown onto the screen every few minutes. There are several genuinely suspenseful sequences involving boats, underwater shadows, and sudden bursts of violence that make excellent use of the setting.
That said, the film occasionally falls into familiar genre patterns. Some supporting characters exist largely to become monster fodder, and certain plot developments are fairly predictable if you’ve watched enough creature features. There are moments where the pacing drags slightly in the beginning and middle section as the film juggles many ideas and audiences are waiting for something exciting to happen. With a respectable runtime of one hour and thirty minutes, Kraken is a smart, atmospheric addition to the creature-feature genre. By combining Nordic folklore, strong visual atmosphere, and well-paced suspense, Pål Øie delivers a slick Nordic horror film. This is a must-watch for creature feature fans and fans of the monster horror genre. It might make you think twice before booking a Norwegian Fjords Cruise.
