Review of The Shallows (2016) by Ellenrebekah A — 01 Jan 2017

Shark thrillers are nothing new, and when 'Jaws' was released back in 1975, it basically guaranteed there would never be a superior film in that genre. Still, this hasn't stopped film studios from trying to recreate the sensation audiences feel when watching others onscreen try to deal with the horrors beneath the waves.

In 'The Shallows,' we follow Nancy (Blake Lively), a surfing enthusiast and med school drop-out who recently lost her mother to cancer, as she spends the day at a "secret beach" on the coast of Mexico. The beach holds a special meaning to Nancy, as her mother used to take her there as a child. Of course, what should be an innocent day in the sun and surf turns into sheer horror as a massive great white shark traps Nancy on a small rock island just 200 yards from the shore. A its core, 'Shallows' is meant to be a low-budget thriller, so character development and dialogue are not strong areas of focus in the film. Instead, most of the emphasis is placed on the action scenes and cinematography, which is difficult given the small set they have to work with.

There aren't a whole lot of surprises in 'Shallows.' A lot of the scenes feel "been there, done that" - it's just a variation of characters and location. Many scenes are shot in a way that brings out the natural beauty of the beach, which helps differentiate it from other similar films. In the case of acting, Lively proves she is able to shoulder a film on her own, which is no small feat despite the size and scale of 'Shallows.' She clearly is not the best actress to ever appear on screen, but she is no novice, either.

Despite trying to give the old shark chase genre an updated feeling, 'The Shallows' is really just another mediocre thriller geared toward teens and twentysomethings that does some things well but falters with others.