The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

It has its moments. It has its problems. It is weird for the sake of weird. You can tell people you have seen it. But it is basically The Little Mermaid getting punched in the face a lot.

Before watching this movie, I had no idea that they are making stylish, elegant movies in Poland. But this movie has changed my views. It's very apt to call this a fantasy musical, with a surrealistic tinge. The story is about two beautiful mermaids, not gentle as in a Disney movie, but a little bit blood thirsty. Even though I don't like tragic endings, the ending of this movie is very touching. How charming the two leading actresses are! They have fitted in their characters in a perfect manner. They are sweet as well as deadly. Music and songs are great. This movie gives dream like feeling which I am really fond of. I really love this movie.

There's been a rather polarizing response to this film, and perhaps it's not hard too see why. The Lure, a horror-musical mermaid movie (yes, really), made the rounds through the Fantasia Film Festival, to international release, and then to The Criterion Collection. But some people aren't buying. It is strange- that's part of the interest- but horror-musicals aren't unprecedented. The Wicker Man got there first, all the way back in 1973. The Lure boasts a lot of visual appeal, and not just in the frequently topless young woman. The colour scheme is sumptuous and poetic throughout. The music is actually engaging, though I don't usually go in for musicals. The mermaids themselves have a shocking beauty to them, a kind of animalistic viciousness scary and seductive all at once. The story, though somewhat simplistic, goes down well. Even if you're not interested in ponying up the dough for the Blu-ray, it's worth heading to Criterion's YouTube channel and investing $3.99. If you're in the mood, this will hit.

Very loosely based on The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen, THE LURE is as far from a Disneyfied version as you can get. If you've ever uttered the phrase "a bit much for my tastes" then you'll probably want to steer clear of this one. There are generous helpings of nudity, sex and violence. The musical numbers range from ballads about being roofied to an energetic punk rock performance.Production values are top notch all around. There is nothing cheesy about the mermaid tails or transformations and the gory make-up effects are disturbingly real.Coming from a culture with supernatural embedded in its bones, it's no surprise that the two young leads capture perfectly the traditional folkloric creatures they play -- virginally appealing, seductively alluring, inherently dangerous and morally conflicted mermaids.Equal parts horror film and musical, THE LURE is kinkier and bloodier than ROCKY HORROR, a bit more ambitious with impressive special efx, and sporting a very attractive and talented cast. Besides the amphibious starlets there's an angel-faced loverboy, a couple of hot milfs and even the scarred punk merman is brutally sexy. The opening hook grabs you and in a flash you're on a playfully warped joyride with strippers and lesbian cop sex and dirty old men. The story bounces through unexpected twists and turns but somehow hangs onto its main through-line -- the tale of a mermaid who falls in love with a human.