Review of The Shallows (2016) by Thequietgamer — 05 Oct 2016

Director Jaume Collet-Serra brings us the best shark flick in years. He also delivers more of that exciting visual flair that helped elevate his Liam Neeson action flicks, Run All Night and Non-Stop, to more than just Taken cash-ins. Yes, it's a very beautiful movie, and not just because of Blake Lively. What really helps The Shallows though is that it's just a genuinely good shark movie. Probably the best this side of Jaws.

It's pretty slow paced though. A lot of the early tension simply comes from the believability of the events. Watching a young woman, wounded and on her own, in a perilous situation. There's a lot of just watching try to figure out how to keep herself alive while she's losing blood. It's pretty entertaining and makes for a great survival movie.

But don't worry, The Shallows doesn't shy away from tense, more action-packed shark attack moments. Those are just reserved for the final act. These moments are exciting and a heck of a lot of fun. These moments are where the movie kind of takes a turn for what is perhaps more unrealistic, but it's just as enjoyable to watch as the final conflict with Jaws was (and still is) all those years ago.

So how about those visuals I was talking about? Simply put, it can be a stunning film. The location is unbelievably gorgeous. Jaume Collet-Serra really focuses on emphasizing that early on with what are perhaps some of the most gratuitous and beautiful shots of water and scenery ever put on film. The director also indulges in displaying the beauty of Lively's body. I thank him for both.

That's not to say everything is flawless with the visuals though. It does have several moments of truly subpar CGI. You can tell there was a budget. When the shark is CGI for the more exciting bits of action, it takes away some of the terror that could have otherwise been there. I can't complain too much though. These moments are still fun to watch.

While not without it's flaws, The Shallows is a heck of a lot of fun. A welcome return to the more serious, yet still fun shark movies of yesteryear. Sharknado this is not. We get something a little more respectable and that can be enjoyed in more than just a "so bad, it's good" kind of way. It's the best shark movie in years (admittedly, that's not saying much) and is worth taking a breaking a break from re-watching Jaws to check out.

7.