I hope you enjoyed my ridiculous shark movie choices because I’m back with the most watch worthy. These are the true standouts among the shark film genre that will leave you wanting more or terrified of even entering a swimming pool! So let’s dive in!
1. The Shallows
Blake Lively is a treasure in every way, but I wasn’t sure about her starring in a summer shark movie. We so rarely get to enjoy shark films on the big screen so I was truly concerned that a bad film would mean even fewer chances for shark fun in the future. Luckily, I was wrong because Lively owned this film and the great white shark that was dead set on killing her. Other than a few moments of missed opportunity where the focus was on Lively’s reaction instead of the shark, this is a grade ‘A’ shark film. If you’ve seen The Shallows, though, I think it’s safe for all of us to agree that the little bird is the true star. This movie is suspenseful and fun in all the best ways possible! I included one of my favorite scenes for you enjoyment.
2. 47 Meters Down
I rarely get truly scared while watching shark movies but 47 Meters Down changed that with its intense suspense. Mandy Moore and Claire Holt play sisters vacationing in Mexico who go cage diving with Stranger Things’ Matthew Modine, as their guide. The cage breaks away from the boat sending the girls 47 meters below trapped in shark-infested waters. The majority of this movie is set in the dark making every shark moment a jump scare and even though I’ve seen it over ten times, I still gasp or jump every time. This summer, we’re getting a sequel titled 47 Meters Down Uncaged and I’ve added the trailer so you can plan to go see it after binging all these epic shark films!
3. Shark Night
Shark Night takes place in a lake with a bunch of college kids enjoying the lake during a break from school. I think you can all guess that things go horribly wrong for the group. It turns out someone has placed sharks in the salt-water lake to make some great footage for Shark Week. Boy, do they get some excellent shots because these kids are terrorized by multiple sharks all through the movie. The best scene is when a shark jumps up and takes one of the kids right off of a jet ski! Don’t get attached to the characters in this one because, well…sharks.
4. Deep Blue Sea
Deep Blue Sea was the first real shark movie to follow Jaws in the early 2000s. Instead of great white sharks, this movie went with makos who were genetically modified making them much smarter than any other shark out there. Deep Blue Sea features an excellent cast with outstanding shark sequences but I have to give a big shout-out to LL Cool J’s character for keeping things light with his well-timed comedic relief. What this movie has that no other one has been able to offer is the best shark death in cinematic history. Samuel L. Jackson’s death scene in Deep Blue Sea will forever be the most epic way anyone has ever gone in a shark movie. He’s giving an amazing speech to rally the team but the shark wants none of it! Watch it!
5. Jaws
If you didn’t see Jaws being the most watch-worthy shark movie coming from a mile away than you may not be a true shark film fan. This movie started it all. It launched our fascination with sharks but also our fear and caused a lot of unnecessary shark deaths. But, this isn’t about the downside of Jaws’ legacy, it’s about the greatness that it is and remains to be. Other movies have done well but no film, yet anyway, has been able to match Jaws. The cast had a chemistry that helped the film even more with Robert Shaw (Quint) truly hating Richard Dreyfuss (Matt Hooper) in real life.
Robert Shaw also helped write the famous USS Indianapolis monologue which is a true story and one of the best movie scenes of all time. The scene is even more powerful because it follows the one time during the entire second half of the film when the three men actually get along. What Jaws was able to do which no other shark movie has been brave enough to try was leaving the beast as a mystery for much of the film adding to the suspense. Now, it was intended to be that way but the mechanical shark, Bruce, had issues and forced Spielberg to make some big choices while creating the film. No matter what the reason, having the shark left to our imaginations makes the movie that much scarier even when he finally rears up and shows his teeth.
Are you ready to go swimming now? What shark movies are your favorites?