Die letzten Vier von Santa Cruz: A Lobster-less Mess

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, you probably only want to watch this if you have a thing for black-and-white dramas where everyone is constantly shouting over each other. If you need pacing that moves faster than a snail, skip it. But if you’re curious about how a group of greedy men disintegrate in the middle of the ocean, you’ll find some weird, cynical fun here.

The whole premise is built on a lie. An author, a businessman, a shipowner, and a publisher decide to exploit a lobster find that doesn't exist. It’s like watching a train wreck in slow motion, except the train is a rotting boat and the passengers are all terrible people.

The Boat Is a Character

That ship they sail on? It feels like it’s held together by duct tape and bad intentions. Every time it creaks, I felt like the movie was telling us, "Yeah, they aren't coming back." It’s got this claustrophobic energy that starts to get under your skin after the first twenty minutes.

The quarreling is endless. It’s not even clever bickering, it’s just four guys realizing they’re broke and blaming the other three for being idiots. There’s a specific scene where they argue about supplies that goes on for way too long. It stops being a plot point and just feels like an actual, uncomfortable dinner party you can't leave.

I couldn't help but think about how differently this would play out compared to something like Bull Arizona. There, the conflict is out in the open, dusty and loud. Here, the conflict is humid, sweaty, and trapped in a small cabin. It’s a different kind of pressure.

Odd Little Notes

• Max Schreck is in this, which is a treat if you're a fan of the classics. He brings a weird gravity to the room that nobody else really matches.
• The lobster "find" is mentioned in the newspaper early on, and the way they frame that article is hilariously manipulative.
• The sound design is mostly just waves and shouting. It’s exhausting, but maybe that was the point?
• The transition from the boardroom back in town to the actual island is jarring. The movie loses its grip on reality right around the time they hit the water.

It’s not a masterpiece. Sometimes the acting feels like they’re trying to compensate for a script that doesn't have enough meat on the bones. But there’s something undeniably real about watching these guys lose their minds over a business venture that was doomed before they even left the dock.

If you like movies where people are just stuck, unhappy, and waiting for the other shoe to drop, check it out. Just don't go in expecting a high-seas adventure. It's more of a low-tide catastrophe. 🦞