7 Best Shark movies to watch for a thrilling experience.
Do not overlook the presence of sharks. Wherever there is water, including the oceans and lakes. At least, that seems to be the basis behind many horror movies of late. Of course, the shark movie season is summer. You can choose from timeless classics like Jaws or more contemporary hits like The Shallows, which may […]
Do not overlook the presence of sharks. Wherever there is water, including the oceans and lakes. At least, that seems to be the basis behind many horror movies of late. Of course, the shark movie season is summer.
You can choose from timeless classics like Jaws or more contemporary hits like The Shallows, which may have put you off swimming for good and left you with the impression that sharks are vindictive, intelligent beings. Not to mention all the strangeness that is the Sharknado film series.
We won’t lie and say they’re all fantastic; however, that’s half the pleasure. These movies just play on our irrational dread of the unknown. We are completely helpless and oblivious to the potential danger while in the open ocean.
The terrifying shark films are the ones that make you feel like one is lurking in the background, even if you’re hundreds of miles from the nearest body of water. That’s the power of a good scary movie. They can make you feel unsafe even if you aren’t in danger.
If you need some new binge-watching material, consider these seven of the finest shark films:
1. Jaws 2 (1978)
It would be unfair to give Jaws 2 too much credit by calling it the best of the Jaws sequels. Director Jeannot Szwarc provides a good rehash of the original Jaws, and the film successfully highlights Steven Spielberg’s contributions to the original.
Roy Scheider reprises his role as the harassed police chief of Amity Island, where he must continue to serve under the craven leadership of the Mayor (played by Murray Hamilton).
The latter could keep the beaches open during the last shark attack and thus retain his position. With Scheider’s presence, the film’s tone is given some much-needed gravitas, and the film’s most notable new development is a great shark attacking a helicopter.
2. The Reef (2010)
There are low-budget shark movies that don’t rely on cheesy CGI to dazzle.
For his film The Reef, Australian filmmaker Andrew Traucki sends a party of tourists sailing into Indonesia on a yacht, then follows them as they debate whether to stay put and wait for an improbable rescue or to swim to an island a dozen miles away.
Further complicating matters: They’re in shark-infested water, and the early remark that “you’re more likely to die of a bee sting than get murdered by a shark” doesn’t help much.
While the transition between actor shots and the real shark video is inevitable, the rising level of fear displayed by the actors sells the idea.
It’s a thriller that manages to be powerful in large part because it captures the terrifying feeling of helplessness one experiences when alone at sea (much like another film a little higher on the list).
3. Bait (2012)
As the second half of a double feature with The Reef up top, this Australian film is a solid choice because it made far better use of the shark attack premise.
Multiple deaths occur, but at least this time, in a mall hit by a tsunami. Crazy! Xavier Samuel, who starred in “The Loved Ones,” takes the lead in this high-octane action/horror/survival mix, which provides exciting thrills and enjoyable set-pieces.
You might feel less emotionally invested in characters, but you will enjoy seeing them scrape by.
4. The Shallows (2016)
The name of Jaume Collet-lean Serra’s mean survival film comes to mind, even if climate change is more likely to blame for the rise in shark activity than the sudden influx of appetizing surfers.
In The Shallows, Nancy, a thrill-seeking surfer, is the protagonist. She is enjoying the treasures of a secluded beach when she is suddenly stranded just 200 yards from shore on the feeding grounds of a great white shark.
The Shallows is an excellent addition to the canon of summer popcorn flicks.
It’s a thrilling tale of survival, and Blake Lively gives a stellar performance that makes it worth watching.
5. Oceans (2009)
According to Jacques Perrin and Jacques Claude, our ocean is home to its galaxy. Because of this, the weird poetry of Oceans portrays such marine organisms as planets, stars, and even asteroids in the form of larvae, crab eggs, etc.
A blanket octopus and a slug, commonly called a Spanish dancer, live up to their colourful titles, and the documentary takes us to places we can’t go.
You could think it was too much documentation, yet the filmmakers are skilled artists.
As if that wasn’t enough, they also display a tantalizing canny gift for montage, evoking an Escher painting with the beautiful oddness of birds diving into the sea like torpedoes and fish circling each other in perfectly prismatic, stormy fashion.
6. Shark Night (2011)
After travelling to her family’s lake-island house, Sara (Sara Paxton) and her friends prepare for a weekend to have fun in the sun. But right after they jump into the water, Malik (Sinqua Walls), the football player, stumbles out, bleeding heavily.
In fear that Malik has been seriously injured, his friends hop in a small speedboat and rush him to the hospital. When they look around, they see hundreds of enormous, ravenous sharks surrounding them.
7. Open Water (2003)
Based on a true story, the movie follows a couple on their honeymoon as they go scuba diving and then find themselves utterly alone in the middle of the ocean when they surface.
They initially think they’re gone and hope someone will send help, but soon realize they have company. An eerie number of sharks keep them company, all hungry for human flesh.
Final Words
So, if you are looking for a thrilling experience at home, try these best shark movies to watch for an exhilarating experience.
Shark movies have been around for almost 70 years now. With millions of dollars being spent on each film, we have a spectrum of quality and content because of it.
Finding the best shark movies to watch can be difficult. Therefore, we have compiled a list of the best shark movies above that you can watch immediately.
After watching these shark movies, you’ll realize how fantastic the ocean is!