The Shallows

Rating 4.5/5

Summer is approaching, and with that comes my urge to watch shark movies.

I love sharks and shark movies alike, but I go into every shark movie knowing that is probably not going to be very good, but luckily the Shallows does not fit into the list of ridiculous shark movies that I have been unfortunate enough to see, and believe me, I have seen some pretty bad ones (ex. Shark Week).

Nancy Adams, played by Blake Lively, is a medical school student on a mental health break, who has decided to find the secret beach in Mexico that her late mother used to tell her about. Looking for closure and closeness with her mom, she decides that surfing on this beach is how she is going to find some answers about life and herself.

While she is surfing, she befriends two locals who inform her of the dangers of the beach, such as coral and rocks. However, they don't mention anything about the finned dangers that could lurk beneath the surface.

When the local surfers leave the beach, Nancy goes out for one last wave, and that is where the true story begins. Nancy is attacked by a shark and is forced to survive on a cluster of rocks that have been revealed by the low tide.

This movie is a breath of fresh air in a genre of movies that usually leaves the viewer wondering why they watched it. Blake Lively's performance is powerful, as she carries the entirety of the film on her shoulders. Her fear and determination are fiercely believable, making the viewer feel as if they too are fighting for her survival.

I have seen this movie many times, but it is one that I never seem to tire of. I appreciate that the filmmakers thought about what would keep a shark circling around the same beach other than bloodlust, and that they actually considered the science behind why a shark would remain in one spot.

For anyone who is a fan of Jaws, not just because it is a classic, but because it is the epitome of shark films that all others are measured by, then you will not be disappointed by watching the Shallows. Is it a tad cheesy at the end, of course, but what good is a shark movie with out a little cheddar?