Thriller,Mystery,Horror,Fantasy
United States of America
Mermaid Down is a 2019 independent horror/fantasy film written and directed by Jeffrey Grellman. The film begins with a captain and his crew capturing a mermaid from the Pacific Ocean, ripping off her tail and throwing her overboard to her death. However, the mermaid (played by Ashlynn Yennie) survives and is found washed up on a beach, where she is taken to a mental institution and kept under observation by Dr. Beyer (Lance Henriksen).
Despite her protests, the staff and other patients at the mental institution believe the mermaid (who can only communicate by singing) to be delusional and suffering from a severe trauma-induced psychosis. One of the few people who believes her story is a fellow patient named Nick (Blaire Chandler), who helps her escape the facility in search of her missing tail.
As the mermaid and Nick make their way to the captain's boat to retrieve her tail, they are pursued by Dr. Beyer and his henchmen, who are determined to capture and study the mermaid for themselves. Along the way, the mermaid uses her powers to heal some of the people they encounter, and ultimately confronts the captain and his crew in a final showdown.
The film explores themes of trauma, identity, and the mistreatment of animals and non-human creatures, and features strong performances from its cast, particularly Yennie as the mermaid. Despite its low budget and occasionally clunky special effects, Mermaid Down is a compelling and unique addition to the mermaid mythology in film.
