Shudder Review - Quicksand (2023)

Quicksand a Shudder Original, read our review — *Carolina Gaitan as Sofia in Quicksand – Photo Credit: Manuel Olarte/Shudder*

Snakes, why did it have to be snakes? except it’s only one! Marital conversations under duress and medical procedure in the mud are what you get from an estranged couple trapped in a sinkhole of quicksand amongst the vast forests of Columbia. Best enjoyed without spoilers, I’ll keep my descriptive revelations to a minimum. Go watch on Shudder first.

Backstory heavy plot unravels throughout for Sophia (Carolina Gaitan) and Josh (Allan Hawco) before they decide to hike in the woods and unexpected nature mud bath.

The pair are bickering having fallen in and out of love due to intricate circumstances mostly concerning alcoholism from Josh. This personal aspect is only touched on briefly.

Columbian Sophia, hasn’t been back to her home country for a long period whilst accompanying her soon-to-be-ex husband Josh for a conference in Bogota’.

Sadly, a corrupt hotel concierge signals a thief lurking in the foyer to follow the couple into the wilderness to steal belongings from their parked car, but that situation escalates after the criminal is caught in the act then revealing a gun demanding money

The duo run off back into the forest being shot at, soon to be slipping into the unstable ground pit of quicksand.

A storm front arrives in already cold conditions, restricted movements under the dense granular grass, twigs, mud combination and the eventual emergence of a venomous snake protecting its nest create the intensity.

Sophia and Josh bond, recalling happier times but will they survive is the question. A search party is unlikely.

Allan Hawco impressed me in, The Breach (2022) he brings predictable emotion of a regretful husband, literally in pain to believability, but it is accomplished singer, now heroically competent actor Carolina Gaitan, the preeminent factor of dramatics here.

Being a wife, mum, doctor and voice of reason all in one to survive, a Gaiten showcase to keep the viewer invested.

Not the creature feature anticipated, more animal attacks would have been appreciated as the vulnerable pair were stuck in the mud, hissing snake action or deadly ants on the march, but not to be. Quicksand, still worth a watch.