Movies about sharks and the ocean: a list of the best

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Big, fast and dangerous - these are the characteristics of sharks that have become mainstream in modern cinema. The success of Steven Spielberg's Jaws showed filmmakers the perfect formula for a good summer horror movie that is still used today. In such films about sharks and the ocean, the main enemy of man is the forces of wildlife. And yes, you can talk all you want about the misrepresentation of these predators, which deliberately intimidates their image. However, let's be honest: sharks are really scary. Of course, this is no reason to intentionally hurt these creatures, putting their lives in danger because of a simple movie. Such behavior should not exist in principle. We just love to enjoy good films about sharks and the ocean, which, although they scare us, still do not interfere with distinguishing between reality and what we see on the screen. We hope everyone can swim fast? So here's our list of the best films about sharks and the ocean (and islands, for that matter, it's the only way to escape the pursuit of a big predator, isn't it?), with which we recommendread to every self-respecting cinephile.

"Jaws" (1975)

Of course our top has to start with Jaws. We already started talking about this cult blockbuster in the intro, but it definitely deserves to be opened to every list of shark and ocean movies. The plot of Jaws begins on the shore of the small resort town of Amity, where local vacationers find the body of a murdered girl. The incident is immediately blamed on the great white shark, which now and then appears near the island. Despite the police chief's call to close the resort, the mayor continues to put the lives of vacationers at risk. In the end, the solution to the problem falls on the shoulders of the local shark hunter Quint, who goes to open waters to put an end to the bloodthirsty killings once and for all.

"Deep Blue Sea" (1999)

Combining the fear of dangerous sharks with the terror of the oppressive feeling of claustrophobia is not easy, because these predators are mostly found only in open waters. However, if you watch the movie "The Deep Blue Sea", it seems that nothing is impossible. The main plot of the picture takes place on the territory of an underwater laboratory, where scientific research is being carried out on the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

These studies, as we learn at the beginning of the film, are not entirely ethical. The fact is that the experiments necessary to create a medicine are carried out on live sharks. When it turns out thatexperiments turned predators into real killing machines, laboratory personnel are caught in their own trap.

"Open Sea" (2003)

The next adventure film about the ocean with sharks and people who were in the wrong place at the wrong time is based on a real event. The prototypes of the main characters were the spouses Eileen and Tom Lonergan, and their story took place in Australia back in 1998. Then the young couple went on a trip on a local tourist boat, where all those present were diving off the Great Barrier Reef. The Lonergans decided to dive without an instructor, as they themselves had extensive experience in diving. Due to certain circumstances, the couple were left on the high seas, while the tourist boat returned back to the port.

In the film, the story of Eileen and Tom received a somewhat wave interpretation of events. In fact, no one fully knows what really happened to the young couple and how they died. The involvement of sharks is highly doubtful, but in "The High Seas" they play a key role in the death of one of the spouses.

"Drift" (2006)

A kind of sequel to "The Open Sea" with a similar story, but with different characters. Even a PR campaign reported that a real story was taken as a basis, but there is no exact evidence of this. It is noteworthy that at first "Drift" was in no way connected with the "Open Sea". Already afterthe successful release of the last picture, the creators of "Drift" changed the original name to Open Water 2: Adrift and tried to use this move for commercial gain. Despite this, we can say that the film turned out to be really successful. "Drift" is a story about circumstances in which no one would like to be. There are no sharks here, but only the endless ocean and the unimaginable horror experienced by people left for dead.

"The Shark Charmer" (2011)

In the center of the plot is the story of a brave biologist named Kate. In professional circles, she became known for the fact that she could safely swim side by side with dangerous white sharks. Everything changed when Kate's partner tragically died in one of these swims. Then the girl decided to stop diving and instead took up the usual excursions. One day, the heroine meets her ex-husband, who tries to convince her to return to her previous job. He also introduces her to a millionaire named Brady, who is willing to part with a tidy sum for extreme entertainment. Trying to cope with fear and personal doubts, Kate accepts the offer of men and accompanies them to one of the most dangerous places on the planet - Shark Alley.

Shallow (2016)

The main character of the next film about sharks and the ocean, which was released not so long ago, is a young surfer named Nancy Adams. Her desire for water was passed down to her from her mother, who also adoredcut the waves on your board. At the beginning of the film, Nancy goes to a secluded beach to sort herself out and spend time surfing.

We learn that this place was very special to the girl's mother and that she often talked about it before she passed away from cancer. For a while, the heroine simply enjoys loneliness and swims on the waves, but everything changes when a shark appears on the horizon.

What is so remarkable about "The Shallows" is its realism, which is surprisingly rare in this genre. This is a believable story about strength of mind, self-confidence and survival in spite of any circumstances.

"47 meters" (2017)

Let's not go far in time and talk about another good film about sharks and the ocean, which came out just a year after the successful "Shoal" - "47 meters". Sisters Kate and Lisa travel to Mexico to have fun on a sunny beach. However, the rest of the usual entertainment quickly bothers the girls, and they decide to try something unusual and risky.

And of course, this something turns out to be a shark safari. Using a special cage, Kate and Lisa quickly find themselves alone with large predators deep underwater. It seems that such popular entertainment is completely safe, but the sisters very quickly realize that they may have doomed themselves to certain death.

"Tsunami 3D" (2011)

A rather unusual horror film about sharks and the ocean, filmed with 3D effects. A small Australian town located on the coast is flooded with huge prices. The lucky ones who were at the time of the disaster in the shopping center remain alive. And it would seem that the danger has passed and you can try to contact the outside world. However, along with the waters of the tsunami, huge sharks arrived in the city, which kill everything that moves and stop at nothing on the way to their prey.

"Meg: Depth Monster" (2018)

One of the last films to date about the confrontation between a man and a shark. And not a simple shark, but a real giant megalodon, which somehow managed to survive to our time. With the awakening of this primeval monster, the color of the coastal waters turns red, and the number of victims increases every day. Submariner Jonis Taylor, who has already met with a nightmarish megalodon once, will try to stop the threat.

The film was shot by the joint efforts of film companies in the United States and China. Unlike other films with similar themes, "Meg" stands out from the crowd, mainly due to the large financial support. The film's budget was spent on impressive special effects and roy alties from popular actors such as Jason Statham.