Here are several films about sharks, each with a brief description:
“Jaws”, 1975
Director: Steven Spielberg
Directed by Steven Spielberg, this iconic thriller follows the story of a great white shark that terrorizes a small resort town, prompting the local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer to hunt it down.
Starring: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton, Carl Gottlieb, Jeffrey Kramer, Susan Backlinie, Jonathan Filley, Ted Grossman;
Production year: 1975;
Genre: thriller, horror, adventure;
MPAA rating: pg;
Duration: 124 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8,1;
More information about the film “Jaws” on the website imdb.com
“Deep Blue Sea”, 1999
Director: Renny Harlin
A sci-fi horror film where genetically engineered mako sharks become smarter and deadlier than expected, turning on the scientists who are researching Alzheimer's disease cures at an isolated facility.
Starring: Thomas Jane, Saffron Burrows, Samuel L. Jackson, Jacqueline McKenzie, Michael Rapaport, Stellan Skarsgård, LL Cool J, Aida Turturro, Cristos, Daniel Rey;
Production year: 1999;
Genre: horror, action, science fiction;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 105 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 5,9;
“The Shallows”, 2016
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
This intense survival drama stars Blake Lively as a surfer who gets stranded 200 yards from shore with a great white shark circling the waters between her and safety.
Starring: Blake Lively, Óscar Jaenada, Joseph Salas, Brett Cullen, Sedona Legge, Pablo Calva, Diego Espejel, Janelle Bailey, Ava Dean, Chelsea Moody;
Production year: 2016;
Genre: horror, action, thriller, drama;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 87 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,3;
More information about the film “The Shallows” on the website imdb.com
“Sharknado”, 2013
Director: Anthony C. Ferrante
A cult classic that combines natural disaster with creature feature for a comedic horror film where a waterspout lifts sharks out of the ocean and drops them on Los Angeles.
Starring: Tara Reid, Ian Ziering, John Heard, Cassandra Scerbo, Jaason Simmons, Alex Arleo, Neil H. Berkow, Heather Jocelyn Blair, Sumiko Braun, Diane Chambers;
Production year: 2013;
Genre: horror, science fiction, action, thriller, comedy, adventure;
Age: 18+;
Duration: 86 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 3,3;
“Open Water”, 2003
Director: Chris Kentis
Based on a true story, this film tells a harrowing tale of a couple left behind in the middle of the ocean during a scuba diving expedition, finding themselves in shark-infested waters.
Starring: Blanchard Ryan, Daniel Travis, Saul Stein, Michael E. Williamson, Cristina Zenarro, John Charles, Estelle Lau, Steve Lemme;
Production year: 2003;
Genre: horror, thriller, drama, adventure;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 79 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 5,8;
More information about the film “Open Water” on the website imdb.com
“47 Meters Down”, 2017
Director: Johannes Roberts
Two sisters vacationing in Mexico go on a cage diving adventure to see great white sharks, but when the cable holding the cage snaps, they are plunged into a terrifying situation.
Starring: Mandy Moore, Claire Holt, Chris Johnson, Yani Gellman, Santiago Segura, Matthew Modine, Mayra Juarez, Axel Mansilla;
Production year: 2017;
Genre: horror, thriller;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 89 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 5,6;
“Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus”, 2009
Director: Jack Perez
This low-budget B-movie features a megalodon and a giant octopus that have been freed from ice, leading to monstrous battles and mayhem.
Starring: Debbie Gibson, Lorenzo Lamas, Vic Chao, Jonathan Nation, Mark Hengst, Michael Teh, Chris Haley, Sean Lawlor, Dustin Harnish, Dean Kreyling;
Production year: 2009;
Genre: horror, science fiction, action, thriller, comedy, adventure;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 88 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 2,5;
“Shark Tale”, 2004
Director: Bibo Bergeron, Vicky Jenson, Rob Letterman
An animated film that provides a humorous take on underwater life, following a small fish who becomes famous after taking credit for the death of a shark mob boss.
Starring: Will Smith, Robert De Niro, Renée Zellweger, Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Martin Scorsese, Ziggy Marley, Doug E. Doug, Michael Imperioli, Vincent Pastore;
Production year: 2004;
Genre: animation, thriller, comedy, adventure, family;
MPAA rating: pg;
Duration: 90 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6;
More information about the film “Shark Tale” on the website imdb.com
“The Reef”, 2010
Director: Andrew Traucki
A tense survival film where a group of friends must swim to an island when their boat capsizes in waters that are home to great white sharks.
Starring: Damian Walshe-Howling, Gyton Grantley, Adrienne Pickering, Zoe Naylor, Kieran Darcy-Smith, Mark Simpson;
Production year: 2010;
Genre: thriller, horror;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 88 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 5,8;
“Shark Night 3D”, 2011
Director: David R. Ellis
A horror film about a group of college friends who visit a remote lake house only to find themselves targeted by fresh-water shark attacks.
Starring: Sara Paxton, Dustin Milligan, Chris Carmack, Katharine McPhee, Donal Logue, Joel Moore, Joshua Leonard, Sinqua Walls, Alyssa Diaz, Chris Zylka;
Production year: 2011;
Genre: horror, thriller;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 95 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 4,1;
In conclusion, films about sharks have captivated audiences with their blend of thrilling suspense, primal fear, and an underlying respect for nature's formidable marine predator. From the terror infused by the iconic “Jaws” to the more recent pulse-pounding scenes in “The Shallows,” these movies have explored the human fascination with the ocean's apex predators, sometimes capturing the complexity of these creatures while other times succumbing to the allure of creature-feature sensationalism. Whether they are used as metaphors for the unknown, a source of ecological education, or simply as the centerpiece of a summer blockbuster, shark films remain a powerful, engaging genre that continues to evolve, tapping into the deep, dark waters of our psyche and our enduring love-hate relationship with the planet's most ancient predators.
