Shark Movies
Not too long ago I rewatched 2010’s The Reef. And recently watched The MEG 2. It got me thinking about shark movies. I am a fan of shark movies ever since seeing JAWS and even the alligator movie Crawl from 2019. I thought it would be fun to write about some of my favorite shark movies and why I like them.
I love movies! A lot of effort goes into movies. Stories becoming scripts and screenplays. Camera angles and cinematography. Who got casted in the film. The editing process and designing the score.
I have listed some of my favorite shark movies so far. They are not listed in any particular order, just as they popped into my mind. There will be slight spoilers ahead. There are many other shark movies that didn’t make the list. I hope you enjoy my perspective on this subject.
The Reef: A boat full of friends gets knocked over I think the technical term is capsized and a shark, a great white appears. The really cool thing about the Reef where is is limited in some areas because most the footage is all real. No cgi sharks or robot/animatronic sharks. It’s all real actual shark footage. Because of the footage it has a feel of reality in the movie.
The MEG starting Jason Statham came out in 2018. I saw this few times when it first hit theaters. I went a few different friends and watched it probably 3 times in theater and have watched it twice at home by myslef. I have also been able to introduce a friend to fun and creativeness of The Meg. A megalodon isn’t really a shark but a giant (mega) shark. The movie is well done, I enjoyed the cinematography. There is a good side story going on with characters, and its a fun and interesting concept based on Steve Alten’s book Meg (A Novel of Deep Terror)
MEG 2 dropped in 2023 with a different director than The MEG. It picks up after the first movie smoothly and gives good nods to the first film. I believe this is due to the fact that both screenplays were written by the same groups of 3 writers. Meg 2 does get a little crazy but its a movie about a megalodon and to be expected. It is a fun movie to watch. If you enjoyed The MEG, you will enjoy The MEG 2.
47 Meters Down is a shark cage dive gone wrong like worst case scenario kind of thing. Mandy Moore and Claire Hoyt do a great job portraying sisters. There are few dynamic filming moments and good intense moments. The music helps with this, watch with surround sound if you can. I enjoyed the sequel a bit more 47 Meters Down Uncaged. Even though it shares the same title, the movies are not connected. These underwater ruins are found that have been sealed off. The sea life that got trapped down there had to adapt, including the sharks. The sharks are blind and use other senses to track their prey and it is a fascinating concept to me.
Open Water is based on a true story but not all details are known and the filming has a weird feel at times. Like you are watching a home movie. There is now two more open waters and their all fine but not ones I would recommend right away. Open Water 2: Adrift is not a shark movie. Instead it shows you other dangers of getting stuck adrift like dehydration, hallucinations, and hypothermia.
Another movie that deals with being stranded would be Blake Lively in The Shallows which is fantastic. Lively does an incredible job! I love the filming and cinematography of this movie. Another thing I like about this movie is the resourcefulness or problem solving of the character. From using her watch to time the shark and judge distance to showing kindness to a a little bird. The Shallows also shows the strength of Lively and her acting skills. It is just here solo most the movie and she carries the movie so well.
1999’s Deep Blue Sea which has spun some sequels is about genetically modified sharks that they are experimenting on to cure Alzheimer’s and other diseases. The sharks ended up with greater brain capacity giving them more intelligence, yep smart sharks, it has a great cast and characters. It is so good!!
Sharknado has 6 films and they are all ridiculous but so fun. They know they are ridiculous and they capitalize on that. Each movie just gets more and more campy I guess you could say but they will make you laugh. They will make you think what!? It is literally a movie about a tornado that flies over the ocean picking up water and sea life but somehow mostly only sucking up sharks and then the tornados travel in land and throw sharks at people. Its ridiculous but I can’t help but watch them lol
Shark Tale it technically a shark movie. Yes it is animated but so fun. Will Smith, Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, and Robert DeNiro lends their voices. Oscar a fish partners with Lenny a shark to both change their lives. The movie is fun, creative, and has a great stories on at times the things we think we want is just a shift in perspective.
There are still many shark movies out there. There are even more shark movies, that I have seen but did not make this list. If you are just getting started in the shark movie genre, I would suggest starting with one or two on this list. I would start with The Shallows and The Reef.
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