In this brooding sci-fi police procedural, David Matranga plays Harrison (or "Harry," as he often called here), a melancholy cop in an alternate Earth where America has become a Russian outpost following a nuclear war, an apocalypse that also released previously unknown creatures, Dropa, from the ocean's depths that humankind subsequently almost completely wiped out. The "almost" is the hook on which DROPA hangs, as Harrison spends the movie seeking a renegade surviving Dropa (well played by Jason Douglas with an ironic Russian accent) that is hunting the killers of its species.
The movie's low-key atmosphere accentuates the noir-ish style of writer-director Wayne Slaten, who with each movie further demonstrates a fine command of the medium. His script's concentration on characterization over B-movie action adequately pulls off the ambitious alternate universe story, with its frequent flashbacks into the pasts of Harrison and the Dropa antagonist. These potent asides to the main action bring the somewhat muddy motivations of these characters into better focus. Visually, the Dropa's monstrous look is conveyed with welcome restraint, and the CGI views of a "futuristic" Houston (where the movie was shot) are also thankfully abbreviated and, therefore, more effective. Director Slaten accentuates the up close and personal treatment of the characters by relying upon tight closeups of his actors, further underlining the movie's intimacy. Those looking for a blown out BLADE RUNNER clone may be disappointed here, but the rest will appreciate the thoughtful plot-line, well written dialogue and decent performances.
