Four friends - Fay, Violet, Wendy and Allison - have taken a vacation at a Louisiana resort, a place where one guest has already been devoured by an alligator and toxic waste has ruined the water. And when Fay's abusive boyfriend shows up, not even a spell to Ezruile, the protector of women, children and the neglected gets answered.

Then, they find a woman lying by the river who changes everything.

Ezruile isn't the best horror movie you'll see, but it's trying something different. It has something to say about the nature of male and female relationships, about friends and the environment without getting preachy. After all, it's a movie about a mermaid who is conjured by the four women to solve their problems.

It finds its heroines not only dealing with the vengeance of the titular goddess, but attempting to save her from men who would keep her from her divine path.

Director Christine W. Chen - who co-wrote this movie with Camille Gladney - has been building a resume of shorts and television work. You can see some genuine craft and art here. This isn't just another streaming cheap throwaway, despite its low budget.