Movie Recommendation: “The Bay”

The 2012 found footage film The Bay serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of ignoring ecological issues and warnings. A small town in Maryland faces the consequences of an ongoing problem with the Chesapeake Bay.

On July 4, 2009, several people in Claridge, Maryland begin to experience symptoms that include lesions on their back, limbs, and other body parts. As the day progresses, people suddenly die while others get infected as well. Initially thought to be a viral infection, past footage and documents prove that the outbreak actually originates from a deadly parasitic organism. As the outbreak finally ends and quarantine is lifted, the government confiscates the footage and gives money to the survivors in exchange for silence.

Years later, former news reporter Donna Thompson (Kether Donohue) has collected the footage from an anonymous source and recounts what happened on that day. As one of the survivors, Donna intends to expose the government cover-ups. Her compiled evidence includes an overwhelmed emergency room, oceanographers’ first discovery of the parasite, a recorded facetime video from a teen victim, and audio recordings.

The Bay is a gruesome found footage film that touches on the effects of water pollution and downplaying preventable environmental issues (themes conveyed other films like 2024’s Under Paris). While the part about the parasite’s evolution is science fiction, the film itself doesn’t resort to cheap scares and visual effects. Instead, the truth about this lethal outbreak in the small town of Claridge gradually unfolds, leading to a chilling view of the effects of exploiting our natural resources.

Overall, the horror in The Bay revolves around the repercussions for not taking action on environmental issues. It’s an unsettling but essential movie that’s worth checking out.

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The Bay is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video and Tubi.

This film contains depictions of body horror.

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Interested in checking out more horror found footage films? Check out this list of recommendations!

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For more movie reviews and recommendations, check out the movies section!

Author: Bradda M.

Bradda M. currently lives in Virginia. He teaches ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) at a public school and spends his free time reading and watching movies with his partner.

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