RATING: B+

A Mahal Empire/Wicked Monkey/Stag Mountain Films production. Directed by Adam Werth. Produced by Michael Mahal and Sonny Mahal. Written by B.J. Mezek and Adam Werth; story by Sonny Mahal and Michael Mahal. Cinematography by Michael Su. Edited by Kane Richard Blust.

Stars John Wells, Michael Paré, Vernon Wells, Sadie Katz, Wesley Cannon, Costas Mandylor, Greg Tally, Glenn Plummer, Dawna Lee Heising, Robert LaSardo, Sheri Davis, Saint Heart, and Kyosuke Mukai. 

A band of pirates thought they found a safe haven. They thought wrong in the latest film from Mahal Empire!

On May 26, 1818, a band of pirates stole the USS Frost from the Navy and used it to transport runaway slaves. In honor of the freeing of slaves, they rename the ship the Chainbreaker. However, the USS Perry, while on patrol, has discovered the Chainbreaker and launched an all-out assault on the ship. After a nautical battle and an invasion, the crew of the Chainbreaker are forced to leave when the injured Captain Bure orders his crew to find shore.

The crew finds an uninhibited island. Now led by former Merchant Marine Tiberius Shaw, the crew takes up shelter on the island but they’re not the only ones. A handful of Naval soldiers head towards the island to track down the pirates. They soon learn they are not alone. A bloodthirsty cult with deadly secrets have inhabited the island and now the pirates must evade both the Navy and the deadly threat if they are to stay alive. 

Mahal Empire’s latest film takes us on the high seas where it starts with a battle between pirates led by a runaway slave taking on the U.S. Navy. It feels like this time, we are treated to a somewhat adventure that could have been used as a Pirates of the Caribbean adventure, but with all the Disney fodder, where would the fun be when it comes to bloodshed and death along the heroes? Exactly why it fits more in line with the Mahal Brothers’ brand of entertainment. 

While the likes of Michael Paré and Vernon Wells seem to get top billing, the film features more of faces familiar with the Mahal Empire world. John Wells, known for his protagonist role in Arena Wars, plays Tiberius Shaw, a Merchant Marine who has become a pirate and is obviously one of the strongest characters there as once his captain Bure, played by Glenn Plummer, is mortally wounded, leads the charge into heading ashore to an uninhibited island. 

It is on the island where it gets chaotic. First off, the character of Bridger, played by Greg Tally, is going to be the character you love to hate. The Lt. Commander will do whatever it takes to ensure at least one pirate is captured and results in the Navy being forced to kill any pirates who resist, much to the chagrin of Admiral Lt. Norton, played by Alexander Hauck, who seems reasonable. But the Navy obviously becomes the least of the pirates’ problems. 

There are first the Sirens, played by the likes of Saint Heart, Sheri Davis, and Jessica Cannon among others, whose song enthralls some of the pirates before unleashing their fury. But it gets more insane with a cult, led by Sadie Katz’s Credonia, are the real inhabitants of the island and they first come off as nice, but as the film progresses, and we see some of the pirates learning their secret, it leads to a showdown that may have to involve an unlikely alliance. And look for Indie World Cinema Hall of Famer Dawna Lee Heising as cult member Evelyn, whose part may be small, but brings importance in her scenes. 

Cursed Waters is an enjoyable pirate action film that definitely has lots of action, thrills, and some nice twists. The cast is fun to watch as always and there’s lots of action and horror-style violence that only be what to expect from the great Mahal Empire and company.