I absolutely love watching films on Shudder, and Quicksand is a survival film that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Quicksand
Growing up in a big city, there was zero chance of me ever encountering quicksand, but after watching a few 1950’s cowboy films as a child, I developed this ungodly fear of getting sucked up in quicksand. Crazy, right? But quicksand does exist, and if you are ever caught in this muck, you better know how to survive which takes us straight to my review of the Columbian 2023 film, Quicksand, written by Matt Pitts, directed by Andres Beltran and starring Sebastian Eslava, Carolina Gaitan, and Allan Hawco.
What is quicksand? Quicksand is a mixture of sand and water that appears solid until you step into it. The more you move, the quicker you sink. There are methods to getting out, but it takes patience. You need to make space between you and the quicksand. You can actually float in the stuff. Okay, now that the science part is done, let’s jump to the review. Quicksand begins with a married couple, Sophia (Carolina Gaitan) and Josh (Allan Hawco) arriving in Columbia for a work conference. Their friend Marcos (Sebastian Eslava) is not only in charge of the conference, but also a good friend of the couple. Marcos is shocked to learn that the couple is planning a divorce.
When Marcos is unable to go on a hiking adventure with Josh to the La Chorrera jungle, Josh is surprised when Sophia offers to go with him. Even though Sophia offers to go with Josh on this trip, she is quite hostile during the ride up and even as the hike begins. What they don’t realize is that a local ruffian has followed them. After escaping from the criminal, Sophia gets trapped in quicksand. Josh tries to save her and is also trapped.
Conclusion
Quicksand is one of the better survival films that I have seen in a long time. Sophia and Josh have to deal with insects, venomous snakes, and the fact that they might die and leave their children orphans. A situation like this can either make them work together or die. What will they choose? The acting between Carolina and Allan is tight and believable.
The film will be on Shudder and AMC+ on July 10th.
