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Norwegian Eco‑Horror 'Kraken' Debuts to Praise for Visuals and Criticism for Story

Stunning fjord cinematography with large-scale creature effects shows the environmental cost of industrial fish farming.

Overview

  • The film opened in select theaters and on digital on June 12, 2026, after critics published reviews on June 11 assessing its strengths and weaknesses.
  • Sara Khorami stars as Johanne, a marine biologist who investigates strange salmon behavior at a Sognefjord fish farm where an experimental sonic delousing technology has disrupted marine life.
  • Reviewers consistently praised the film's cinematography and creature design, saying the visual work and monster effects are the movie's main assets.
  • Critics also faulted the screenplay, pacing, and character development, calling the plotting repetitive and the human relationships underwritten.
  • Directed by Pål Øie and positioned within a recent wave of Scandinavian creature features, Kraken uses kaiju spectacle to critique investor-driven aquaculture and aims for both niche theatrical visibility and wider digital reach.