Shark Night (2011)

Directed by: David R. Ellis | 91 minutes | horror, thriller, adventure | Actors: Sara Paxton, Dustin Milligan, Chris Carmack, Katharine McPhee, Alyssa Diaz, Joel David Moore, Donal Logue, Joshua Leonard, Sinqua Walls, Chris Zylka, Jimmy Lee Jr., Damon Lipari, Christine Quinn, Kelly Sry, Tyler Bryan

There are a lot of inexplicable things on this planet. Stonehenge, Easter Island and ‘Shark Night’. There is a lot to say about the first two places. Many scholars have been scratching their heads about these mysterious places. Hopefully not so much effort is put into analyzing ‘Shark Night’. This film is purely meant to earn some cash, after Alexandre Ajas had a hit with ‘Piranha 3D’, also a film about monstrous sea creatures. However, ‘Shark Night’ is never as funny, gross or watchable as its source of inspiration. On the contrary. Rarely has such a bad B-movie tarnished the silver screen. The fact that this pulp has made it to the cinema is a miracle in itself.

‘Shark Night’ tells the story of seven spoiled college students who are having a party on an island. That abandoned house is in the middle of a lake. Unfortunately, it turns out that sharks are roaming around.

Sharks are fascinating animals. They are killing machines with teeth as sharp as daggers. Steven Spielberg had a big hit with ‘Jaws’, the shark movie of all shark movies. The film has never been equaled. David R. Ellis tries to bring the shark back as a movie monster, but he never succeeds. ‘Shark Night’ is disastrously bad and the only monster you should be afraid of is the money-hungry studio boss who gave the green light to make this pulp.

Of course – it remains a glossy Hollywood horror film – the characters are annoying, annoying and flat. Bad acting galore. No problem, as long as tension is built up. No way. Ellis throws a side-plot about rednecks, a bad boyfriend and a corrupt sheriff. Dull! A good dose of gore can limit the damage for horror fans. Unfortunately, you shouldn’t expect that either. ‘Shark Night’ looks cheap and the special effects are clumsy. The sharks come out of the PC, the wounds look like they were made in the 80’s by an amateur. The biggest objection of this film is that the murders happen ‘off screen’. A lot of red water and some splashing must pass for a gruesome death. That’s really no longer possible in this ‘Saw’ era where every horror fan knows about human anatomy. The cowardly kills in this movie are cheap and weak.

What remains is a glossy film in which the tight bodies of anonymous actors and actresses (don’t expect breakthrough roles) claim the leading role. If pixel sharks and one rubber shark pique your interest then you can give this turn a try. If you like blood & gore, then you should quickly forget this title.