The King Tide is a good idea for a half hour Twilight Zone episode or a short film… but in its current form, its slow burn aesthetic is a little undercooked for the amount of story they have.

It’s about an isolated fishing village with a little girl who has the power to keep them healthy and their fishing nets full. When she loses her abilities, the villagers disagree on what they should do… and how they can keep using their little miracle worker.

It’s a good idea and the marketing synopses of the film announces a far more interesting story than is delivered. This isn’t about a civil war between townsfolk, it’s about moral and ethical disagreements. It’s about how we choose to use and abuse a good thing. And it’s told in a rather slow and ponderous manner. And I think some of the decisions made were pretty unsurprising so even its moral judgements aren’t particularly unique.

The film’s natural location shooting is commendable and the acting is solid. I liked the final act resolution even if it needed a little more desperation and madness to have led up to it. The film never quite launches.

I could tentatively recommend this film to anyone who doesn’t mind a slow burn built around a less than surprising scenario. The ideas are solid and the production is good… but I just wanted a more interesting script.

Score: 74