Review of Deep Blue Sea (1999) by Jack B — 15 May 2012

There's nothing particularly special about this horror of nature saccharine-fest, as a precedent was set by precursors like Jaws (the superior shark attack flick), Jurassic Park (the superior science fiction film of ethical dilemma and consequence), Them! (an obvious classic), The Birds, Cujo (a legitimately terrifying premise), The Fly ('86), Arachniphobia, and Tremors (the king of campy horror movies) far before this was released.

To be honest, though, the subcategory of natural horror doesn't seem to offer too much, and when a somewhat decent movie like this is released with some interesting surprise deaths, good acting from consistent actors, and intelligible plot, you can't help but be drawn to its charm. It sure beats Anaconda, Python, Lake Placid, recent animal faceoffs (do I need to even mention Megashark?), Black Sheep, Shark Attack, Grizzly, Mosquito, Birdemic, Frankenfish, and other shit. I shudder at the names of these. It's liberating to see something slightly original. I had seen the movie multiple times before now, so if it draws my attention enough that I endure through it multiple times, it can't be too bad, right?

We have genetically engineered 15-foot Mako Sharks with enhanced neural activity at an underwater research facility in the hopes to culture and extract proteins that could potentially cure mental illnesses like Alzheimer's and related conditions. What could possibly go wrong? Is it right to tamper with nature's standard order, even if to accomplish something for a great cause and for selfless reasons? Again, it's been explored in detail, like in Jurassic Park, etc., but it's still refreshing to see the drama, gore, and surprises along with some thought-provocative ideas.

Not to mention LL Cool J is a joy to watch. And the two surprise scenes. You know the two I'm talking about. It goes... "I'm tired of these muthafuckin sharks in this muthafuckin underwater research facility". *shark noms Samuel L. Jackson* Or something like that. If you want a couple of jumps, a couple of laughs, moderate gore, and lots of visual satisfaction, this is a demi-blockbuster you can really sink your four layers of teeth into. Yup, if you're tired of crappy scifi horrors, this movie will sweep you away from the jaws of defeat. So strap your fake shark fins onto your back and get ready for a plunge of 'trolling' you won't soon forget. OK, I killed it...