Synopsis

A salvage-minded smuggler and his crew board the luxury liner Argonautica after it is attacked during its maiden voyage. They soon discover that the ship's passengers have been devoured by a gigantic deep-sea creature. Trapped aboard the sinking vessel with armed mercenaries and a stranded thief, the survivors must fight their way through flooded corridors before the monster claims them all.

Factoids & Trivia

• Stephen Sommers originally developed the project under the title "Tentacle."

• Sommers has said that a National Geographic article about jellyfish helped inspire the film's monster.

• The production filmed in and around Vancouver, British Columbia. Much of the work took place at Versatile Shipyards, which doubled for the industrial and maritime settings.

• Industrial Light & Magic contributed creature animation and visual effects after the production's original effects work encountered difficulties. The effects process contributed to an unusually long post-production period.

• The cruise ship Argonautica was a fictional design rather than a real vessel. Its exterior appearances were created with computer imagery and large physical models, including one built for the ship's sinking.

• Claire Forlani initially played Trillian St. James but left the production after three days of filming. Famke Janssen subsequently took over the role.

• Harrison Ford reportedly turned down the part of John Finnegan before Treat Williams was cast.

• Released by Hollywood Pictures on January 30, 1998, the film performed poorly in theaters but later developed a cult following among fans of effects-driven monster movies.