Survival Horror Quicksand (2023) Sinks Under Weight of Its Unlikely Premise

Title: Quicksand

First Non-Festival Release: June 1, 2023 (Theaters)

Director: Andres Beltran

Writer: Matt Pitts

Runtime: 86 Minutes

Starring: Carolina Gaitan, Allan Hawco, Sebastian Eslava

Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here

If you grew up in the United States, odds are you were introduced to the idea of getting stuck in quicksand in various television shows and movies. Most of the time it makes for a fast scene before the characters manage their way out of the earth. It always left people wondering how big of a problem this is and what is the likelihood of them falling victim to it.

Think no more, because Sofia (Carolina Gaitan) and Josh (Allen Hawco) find themselves in this same predicament. In a last-ditch effort to reconnect before their divorce, kill some time before their medical conference starts, and scratch an itch to adventure, the couple journey to a remote region of the Colombian forest for a hike. Unfortunately, a run in with a thief leaves them stranded in a pit of quicksand. Unable to reach out to their friend Marcos (Sebastian Eslava) for help, the pair must figure out a way out or else succumb to the elements.

Flat writing, wooden performances, and uneven pacing make Quicksand an unaffecting and generally forgettable survival thriller.

The idea of falling victim to the notorious booby trap of forests, can send most people running out of the jungle, but Quicksand fails to ignite that same fire with its sluggish take on the substance. After a particularly fast-paced twenty minutes, Quicksand gets stuck both literally and figuratively as it struggles to decide how to proceed with filling the remainder of the runtime. A single location horror film, Quicksand does its best to keep the action going but cannot fight its pacing issues. Switching back and forth between perspectives to watch Marcos figure out what happened to his friends ends up sucking the life from the narrative, as its clunky insertion only serves to hold the audience’s hand on the couple’s potential survival.

Thanks to the subject matter, it is difficult to bring a sense of dynamism to the film. There isn’t an excuse, however, to lack the character development sorely needed to sell the contained story it advertises. Sofia and Josh are described as on the verge of divorce before they embark on this adventure. As they are stuck in the mud pit fighting for their lives, their angst ironically breaks free, and they can discuss how dissatisfied that they have ended up this way. Unfortunately, the dry way their conversation plays out leaves much to be understood and desired, especially when the couple seemingly makes up only thanks to a snake bite sending venom coursing through one of their veins.

Poor performances add to the dreary Columbian rainfall, making the already unbelievable situation even more laughable. The lack of chemistry between Carolina Gaitan and Allan Hawco is evident from the beginning, which works in some ways to show how far the decline of their marriage has reached but never fully recovers even when they do. Throughout their ordeal, the duo opines about what they may be missing out on and how their children may never know what happened to them, but their grief and anguish never seems genuine. Without a strong foundation to their relationship, the narrative falls flat as it is hard to invest in two people that very clearly don’t know each other.

While it doesn’t warrant much praise for storytelling, Quicksand knows how to squeeze out enough entertainment value from its otherwise lifeless script. Its setting is appropriately damp, dirty, and hopeless giving viewers an agonizing look at the terrifying prospects of being swallowed whole by its titular phenomenon. The few times Quicksand employs a strong conflict against the couple that forces them to take action, i.e. the snake, it manages to eke out some toe-curling suspense.

A winning premise alone isn’t enough to propel a film to greatness and Quicksand isn’t in danger of going far anyhow. Its engaging premise and exciting setting cannot make up for its weak script and dull characters, no matter how many snakes it throws into the mix. For those looking for smart and thrilling survival horror, Quicksand is likely not going to meet your standards. It won’t, however, hurt to try out if you are curious and looking for a few hours to burn while stuck on the couch.

Overall Score? 5/10