Latest news with #sharkmovies
Geek Vibes Nation
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
Shark-Filled Summer Fun On VIZIO WatchFree+
Summer just got a whole lot wilder with VIZIO WatchFree+! They're splashing into the season with a jaw-dropping lineup of shark movies that are equal parts thrilling and hilariously over-the-top. Starting July 3rd, tune into the Shark Attack pop-up channel #598 for a free binge-fest of these campy classics. No subscription needed—just a VIZIO TV or the VIZIO mobile app and a free VIZIO Account to dive in! Sharknado: The Ultimate Guilty Pleasure Sharknado Streaming: July 1st Imagine a hurricane hitting LA, but instead of just rain, it's raining sharks. Yup, thousands of them are tearing through the city by sea, land, and air. It's pure chaos and peak shark madness. Starring: Ian Ziering (Beverly Hills, 90210), Tara Reid (American Pie), John Heard (Home Alone) Sharknado 2: The Second One Streaming: July 1st Fin and April head to NYC, but a mega-hurricane unleashes shark-filled storms that make the Big Apple a buffet for these toothy terrors. Bigger, crazier, and somehow even sharkier. Starring: Ian Ziering (Beverly Hills, 90210), Tara Reid (American Pie), Vivica A. Fox (Independence Day) Bull Shark Bonanza Bull Shark Streaming: July 1st A small Texas town's peaceful lake turns into a nightmare when a hungry bull shark starts snacking on swimmers. Small town, big problem. Starring: Thom Hallum (Copper Bill), Billy Blair (Sin City: A Dame to Kill For), Lindsey Marie Wilson (America is Sinking) Bull Shark 2 Streaming: July 1st The terror continues as another bull shark crashes the party, chomping through more unlucky locals in that same Texas lake. The stakes are higher, and so are the bites. Starring: Thom Hallum (Copper Bill), Billy Blair (Sin City: A Dame to Kill For), Andrea Cohen (Black Box) Bull Shark 3 Streaming: July 1st The epic finale pits a whole family of bull sharks against a tiny lake community. It's an all-out battle for survival in this Texas-sized showdown. Starring: Thom Hallum (Copper Bill), Billy Blair (Sin City: A Dame to Kill For), Chad Ridgely (The Wire) Open Water: Stranded and Scared Open Water Streaming: July 1st Based on a chilling true story, two scuba divers are left behind in shark-infested waters when their tour boat bails. It's raw, tense, and way too real. Starring: Blanchard Ryan (Beer Fest), Daniel Travis (Pretty Little Liars), Saul Stein (Money Train) Open Water 2: Adrift Streaming: July 1st A group of friends forgets to lower their boat's ladder, leaving them stranded in open water. Spoiler: the sharks are circling, and survival's not looking good. Starring: Susan May Pratt (10 Things I Hate About You), Richard Speight Jr. (Supernatural), Ali Hillis (Must Love Dogs) Open Water 3: Cage Dive Streaming: July 1st Three friends filming a reality show audition get more than they bargained for when they're trapped in shark-filled waters. Their footage becomes a horrifying last testament. Starring: Joel Hogan (Chameleon), Chris Bath (All Saints), Megan Peta Hill (The Flash) Multi-Headed Shark Mayhem 2 Headed Shark Attack Streaming: July 1st A two-headed shark sinks a study-abroad ship, forcing survivors to flee to an atoll. But when the island starts flooding, those twin jaws are the least of their worries. Starring: Carmen Electra (Scary Movie), Charlie O'Connell (Dude, Where's My Car?), Brooke Hogan (GLOW) 3 Headed Shark Attack Streaming: July 1st A three-headed great white chows down on a ship from end to end. The passengers grab anything they can to fight back, but this beast is next-level hungry. Starring: Karrueche Tran (The Bay), Jaason Simmons (Baywatch), Rob Van Dam (Wrong Side of Town) 5 Headed Shark Attack Streaming: July 1st A five-headed shark that looks like a mutant starfish wreaks havoc from the open sea to Puerto Rico's beaches. Paradise? More like a shark buffet. See also The White Lotus Season 3 Finale Breaks Viewing Records Starring: Chris Bruno (The Dead Zone), Nikki Howard (Love Virtually), Lindsay Sawyer (Sinister Squad) Even More Shark Shenanigans Red Water Streaming: July 1st Oil rig workers are already dealing with gangsters holding them hostage when a freshwater bull shark decides to join the chaos. Talk about a bad day. Starring: Lou Diamond Phillips (Young Guns), Kristy Swanson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Coolio (Daredevil) Megalodon Rising Streaming: July 1st The ultimate sea monster, a megalodon, resurfaces and takes on a fleet of modern warships. Spoiler: the ships don't stand a chance. Starring: Tom Sizemore (Saving Private Ryan), Wynter Eddins (Motel California), O'Shay Neal (Snowfall) Megalodon: The Frenzy Streaming: July 1st Five megalodons turn the ocean into a feeding frenzy. It's high-stakes, high-chomp action from start to finish. Starring: Caroline Williams (Renfield), Eric Roberts (The Dark Knight), Jessica Chancellor (Mystery Incorporated) Planet of the Sharks Streaming: July 1st In a future where Earth is mostly underwater, sharks rule the planet, led by a mutant alpha. Humans? They're just lunch. Starring: Brandon Auret (District 9), Stephanie Beran (Big Kill), Christia Visser (Last Ones Out) Empire of the Sharks Streaming: July 1st In a waterlogged future, a warlord with a shark army kidnaps the wrong girl—the daughter of a shark caller who's about to flip the script. Starring: John Savage (The Last Full Measure), Jack Armstrong (Patterns), Thandi Sebe (Viva Forever) Tsunami Sharks Streaming: July 1st A tsunami floods a city, and guess who swims in with the tide? Sharks, ready to make the streets their new hunting ground. Starring: Anna Albie (Varsity Punks), Mark Denham (Ghosted), Robin Kirwan (Scorched Earth) Swamp Shark Streaming: July 1st A botched animal smuggling deal lets a massive shark loose in a swampy river, turning the backwoods into a danger zone. Starring: Kristy Swanson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), D.B. Sweeney (Eight Men Out), Jason Rogel (NCIS) Ice Sharks Streaming: July 1st Arctic scientists face off against sharks that have invaded icy waters. It's a freezing fight for survival in the far north. Starring: Edward DeRuiter (Mega Shark Vs. Kolossus), Jenna Parker (Diablo Canyon), Kaiwi Lyman (Den of Thieves) Shark Lake Streaming: July 1st A sheriff takes on a rogue shark and an exotic animal smuggler, determined to clean up her town's lake once and for all. Starring: Dolph Lundgren (Rocky IV), Sara Malakul Lane (King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table), Lily Brooks O'Briant (The Young and the Restless) Mountain Shark Streaming: July 1st Hunters sent to a mountain weapons base uncover a deadly secret: the hills are crawling with sharks, and they're not here to play. Starring: Ema Ekaete (Tell No Lies), Emily Felicia Moore (Snap Shot), Julia Quayle (Beneath the Surface) Santa Jaws Streaming: July 1st A kid's Christmas wish to be alone goes horribly wrong when a shark shows up and wreaks havoc on his family. Ho ho… oh no! Starring: Reid Miller (Accused), Courtney Lauren Cummings (The Sex Lives of College Girls), Jim Klock (The Underground Railroad) Mississippi River Shark Streaming: July 1st Sharks invade the Mississippi River, turning a lazy river into a deadly trap for anyone nearby. Starring: Cassie Steele (Degrassi: The Next Generation), Jason London (Dazed and Confused), Miles Doleac (The Dinner Party)
Yahoo
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The 10 best shark movies to bite into this summer
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Shark movies are ten-a-penny these days, but there are few fishy flicks that truly do the monster of the ocean justice. With that in mind, it can be difficult to find a hard-hitting shark movie in a sea of sillier finny films. But that's where we come in, with our ranking of the best shark movies to bite into this summer. And what better time to dive into this list than on the 50th anniversary of one of the best shark movies ever, Jaws. Below, we have ranked the 10 best shark movies, from pics inspired by real-life shark attack stories such as Open Water, to movies that use real footage of sharks in all their glory, like The Reef and this year's brand new entry, Dangerous Animals. But be warned, if you're looking for more satirical sharky tales, head on over to our 11 big dumb shark movies list, as the ranking below is as serious as a shark attack. So what are you waiting for? Slip into your wetsuit and take the plunge into our ranking of the best shark movies that celebrate one of the most misunderstood creatures of our time, and transcend horror, thriller, and even animation genres. Just don't kick your feet too much! Year: 1983Director: Joe Alves Although this is one of the weaker entries in the Jaws franchise, Jaws 3-D makes it onto this list just for that memorable glass-breaking scene alone, and the impact it has had on pop culture. I mean, who can forget that cardboard-looking shark floating through the ocean? Dodgy special effects aside, the third Jaws entry is still a decent shark movie. Directed by Jaws' production designer Joe Alves, Jaws 3-D follows a group of marine biologists attempting to capture a young great white shark, but they run into trouble when its angry mother comes looking for revenge. The movie differs from its predecessors in the fact that it steers away from the classic shark attack in the middle of the ocean scenario, and was perhaps ahead of its time in highlighting how theme parks such as SeaWorld may not be such a good idea. Jaws 3-D is available to stream on Peacock in the US and on ITVX in the UK. For more movies about ferocious beasts, see our list of the best monster movies. Year: 2017Director: Johannes Roberts If you needed another reason not to go cage diving with sharks, this is it. Starring The Vampire Diaries' Claire Holt and Disney's Rapunzel herself, Mandy Moore, 47 Meters Down follows two sisters whose vacation to Mexico turns into a trip from hell as they get stuck in a cage at the bottom of shark-infested waters. Not only does 47 Meters Down include some blood-pumping chase scenes and make you feel seriously claustrophobic, but the survival horror film also explores a highly relatable, strained sister dynamic between the two lead characters. 47 Meters Down is available to stream on Prime Video in the US and on Now in the UK. For more, see our list of the best thriller movies. Year: 2016Director: Jaume Collet-Serra Next up is The Shallows, as it wouldn't be right not to include this high-concept, one-woman (and a seagull) thriller on our best shark movies list. Starring A Simple Favor star Blake Lively, The Shallows follows a surfer who decides to escape her problems, and the recent death of her mother by heading to a secluded beach. But her surf sesh is cut short when she is suddenly attacked by a great white shark, leaving her stranded on a piece of reef far away from the shore. Differing from other shark attack movies such as Soul Surfer, this tense game of cat and mouse looks at how shark attack victims react to a brush with death in the moment, and what they will do to survive. The Shallows is available to stream on Starz in the US and on Netflix in the UK. For more movies led by girls as tough as the coral reef, check out our list of the 100 greatest female characters in movies. Year: 2010Director: Andrew Traucki So, we've looked at how sharks can attack in the water, in a cage, on a surfboard, but are we at least safe on a boat? No, it looks like we're not, as the main characters in The Reef learned this the hard way. While sailing to Indonesia, a group of friends capsize, leaving them stranded in the ocean. Matters only get worse when they attempt to swim to land, attracting the attention of a huge great white shark. The Reef is one of the few true horror movies on this list and will have you hiding behind your blanket. What makes this 2010 flick even scarier is that it's inspired by the true story of Ray Boundy, who survived a shark attack when his boat capsized. Sadly, his friends were not so fortunate. The Reef is available to stream on Philo in the US and on Shudder in the UK. For more, check out our list of the best horror movies. Year: 2021Director: Sally Aitken But sharks aren't all bad, and in real life, shark attacks are actually quite rare. It is no secret that sharks are one of the most misunderstood creatures on the planet, and that's exactly what National Geographic's award-winning documentary Playing With Sharks sets out to prove. Playing with Sharks celebrates underwater filmmaking pioneer and shark researcher Valerie Taylor, whose life's work has become the basis for much of what we know about sharks today. The documentary uses underwater archival footage, interviews, and input from Valerie herself to bring the ocean explorer's work to the screen. Playing With Sharks is available to stream on Disney Plus. For more, check out our list of the best movies on Disney Plus. Year: 1999Director: Renny Harlin When you think of classic shark movies, you first think of Jaws. But a close second is Renny Harlin's action-packed Deep Blue Sea. The 1999 film reintroduced the fear of the oceanic unknown to a whole new generation, without ever taking itself too seriously. The movie is set in a murky underwater facility where a team of scientists set out to conduct research on mako sharks to help fight Alzheimer's disease. But the experiment is cut short when multiple genetically engineered sharks revolt, setting their sights on the scientists themselves. Deep Blue Sea provided some of the most memorable shark scenes in movie history, such as Stellan Skarsgård's hand being bitten off and Samuel L Jackson's becoming a tasty afternoon snack for a great white. Deep Blue Sea is available to stream on Netflix in the UK. For more, read our Deep Blue Sea review. Year: 2003Director: Chris Kentis Now, we hope you weren't planning on sleeping too soundly tonight, as we regret to inform you that No. 4 on our list is also based on a true story. Released in 2003, Open Water follows a couple who get left behind on a scuba diving trip. With no boat, no way home, and energy running out, the duo's fight for survival is made harder when they realize they are treading shark-infested waters. The film is loosely based on Tom and Eileen Lonergan's real-life nightmare on the Great Barrier Reef in 1998. Open water also used real sharks, specifically Caribbean reef sharks, to achieve a greater sense of realism. Open water is available to stream on FuboTV in the US. For more, read our Open Water review. Year: 1978Director: Jeannot Szwarc It's no surprise that yet another Jaws movie has made it onto this list, but we're not covering the big kahuna yet. First comes the 1978 sequel, aptly named Jaws 2, which attempted to replicate the success of the first movie by returning to Amity Island years after the first set of horrific shark attacks. Although Jaws 2 doesn't quite live up to its predecessor (but let's be real, what does?), the sequel continues Police Chief Martin Brody and his family's story. We just cannot believe that the locals of Amity didn't believe Brody when he reported the shark attacks again. Short memory, much? Jaws 2 is available to stream on Peacock in the US and on ITVX in the UK. Year: 2025Director: Sean Byrne The newest movie on this list is so fresh, it's still out in cinemas! But believe us when we tell you that it's worth hitting pause on your summer vacation to go and see Dangerous Animals in theaters, as this is a shark horror movie like no other. Directed by The Devil's Candy's Sean Byrne, Dangerous Animals flips the shark horror genre on its head by swapping the typical gilled villain for a man. The movie follows nomad surfer Zephyr, who gets abducted by a shark-obsessed serial killer and held captive on his boat, where she must quickly work out her escape before it's too late. Dangerous Animals is out in theaters now. For more, read our writer's opinion piece on why Dangerous Animals is the perfect film to watch during the 50th anniversary of Jaws. Year: 1975Director: Steven Spielberg What other movie did you expect to see in the top spot? Steven Spielberg's trailblazing blockbuster hit screens in 1975 and changed audiences' perception of sharks forever. When a giant white shark fatally attacks swimmers just off the coast of Amity Island, it's up to Sheriff Martin Brody, a marine biologist, and a local fisherman to hunt down the creature before it can claim too many victims. The movie gave us such iconic lines as: "You're gonna need a bigger boat," and one of the biggest jump scares in shark movie history (see above). Jaws still remains the best shark movie, and has ingrained itself into pop culture for 50 years now. Jaws is available to stream on Peacock in the US and on Prime Video in the UK. For more, read our Jaws review. For more, check out our list of upcoming movies you have to look forward to.
The National
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
As Jaws turns 50, the 10 scariest shark movies ever made
The scariest films tap into something primal. Shark attack movies may have begun with Jaws in 1975, but the genre endures because Jaws was merely the first to articulate a fear that nearly all of us have felt – the dread of what may be lurking below our feet in the watery depths below. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Jaws' release today, here are some of the most terrifying films – in no particular order – that tap into the age-old dynamic of man versus shark. 47 Meters Down (2017) 47 Meters Down is directed by Johannes Roberts, and stars Mandy Moore and Claire Holt as sisters. The film follows the two as they go on a shark-cage diving expedition off the coast of Mexico. During the dive, the winch snaps and the cage drops 47 metres to the ocean floor. As the oxygen depletes and panic ensues, sharks begin to circle the cage. Made on a modest budget of $5 million, the film grossed more than $60 million in box-office returns. The small budget allowed for a larger focus on creating a suspenseful and toe-curling experience without the need for bombastic effects. Open Water (2003) In 1998, Tom and Eileen Lonergan went out with a scuba diving group on the Great Barrier Reef, only to be accidentally left behind. They were never seen again. Open Water, from director Chris Kentis, imagines what may have happened to them into one of the bleakest films of the century thus far. And while it does eventually build to violent confrontations with the ocean's apex predators, Open Wate r is at its most chilling in anticipation of that fateful event. And because it was made on a low-budget in pseudo-documentary style, it's impossible to divorce this film from the reality that inspired it. Jaws (1975) Director Steven Spielberg has made a plethora of masterpieces in his decades-long career, but even if he'd stopped after Jaws, his reputation would have been sealed. Jaws remains a masterclass in suspense filmmaking and the birth of the modern blockbuster, all with richly rendered characters. But what's most surprising is, even 50 years later, it's still deeply unnerving. A true classic – and should remain a film each generation discovers at a young age when they're ready for something scary. Dangerous Animals (2025) Written by Nick Lepard and directed by Sean Byrne, Dangerous Animals may have had its premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, but this is no highbrow art film. The film follows Hassie Harrison's Zephyr, an American surfer kidnapped by a shark-obsessed psychopath Bruce Tucker, played by Jai Courtney, who holds her captive aboard his trawler for ritualistic shark-feeding sessions. The movie may be the latest shark-based horror flick in a long line to deliver nautical scares, but many are calling it the best in years. Combining the fear of sharks with the demented mind of a serial killer, Dangerous Animals, now in cinemas, delivers a truly new experience to the subgenre. The Shallows (2016) Less is more. Rarely is that more clear than in director Jaume Collet-Serra's The Shallows. There are only two main characters to be found here – one is a medical student named Nancy Adams (Blake Lively), who goes out surfing and is stranded on a rock 180 metres from shore, and the other is a great white shark. In the film's pulse-pounding 86-minute runtime, Adams must find a way back to safety. Jaws 2 (1978) While it's often dismissed because of the greatness of its predecessor, Jaws 2 deserves a second look. Sure, it may not reach the heights of the first, but it's a cracking horror film in its own right – revealing the monster far earlier and upping the body count. Ultimately, Jaws 2 is more comparable to Halloween or Friday the 13th, only the shark is the slasher picking off the core characters one by one instead of Jason or Michael Myers. Give it a shot, and you'll find it's one of the most underrated fright flicks of the 1970s. Deep Blue Sea (1999) The sci-fi horror directed by Finnish filmmaker Renny Harlin, who previously directed Die Hard 2 and Cliffhanger may not be realistic, but it delivers the goods. Set in an isolated underwater research facility, the film follows a group of scientists who are genetically engineering mako sharks to find a cure for Alzheimer's disease. Things go horribly wrong when the sharks attain intelligence and turn on the scientists. Renowned for its fast-paced action, suspenseful atmosphere and surprising plot twists, Deep Blue Sea features a strong cast that includes Thomas Jane, Saffron Burrows, LL Cool J and Samuel L Jackson. The film has become a cult favourite for its mixture of CGI and animatronic effects, which were provided by Stan Winston Studios that previously worked on Jurassic Park and Aliens. The Reef (2010) Australian survival horror film The Reef is written, directed and produced by Andrew Traucki. The filmmaker specialises in survival thrillers, but this remains his best. Inspired by real-life events, the film follows five friends whose boat capsizes on the way to Indonesia after striking a coral reef, forcing them into shark-infested waters as they attempt a perilous swim to safety. The Reef is another stellar example of a shark attack film that delivers scares without a massive budget. Filmed on location in Queensland, the movie uses actual great white shark footage mixed with on-set scenes. If there is one true hidden gem to be discovered from this list, it's The Reef. Its sequel, however, is more of a mixed bag. Bait 3D (2012) While you may have to adjust your aesthetic expectations from Steven Spielberg to more of an old-school Roger Corman monster movie, Bait is an often-thrilling suspense film that follows a group of people who are being hunted by bloodthirsty great white shark while strapped in a grocery store during a freak tsunami. This is a good time if you don't set your expectations too high. Under Paris (2024) A global hit when it released on Netflix last summer, this French action-horror disaster film directed by Xavier Gens follows a grieving marine biologist who is compelled to face her tragic past to save Paris from a giant shark that appears in the Seine river. While it's more thrilling than scary, it does offer moments of claustrophobic tension that may have you gasping for air.
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How to Stream All the Jaws Movies Right Now on Peacock
The grandaddy of all summer blockbusters, Jaws hits the big 5-0 this week! To celebrate such an impressive milestone, Peacock has become the official streaming home to all four movies in Universal Pictures' shark-centric film franchise. The great Steven Spielberg kicked off the iconic IP in June 1975, before handing the directorial reigns off to Jeannot Szwarc (like Spielberg, he directed episodes of NBC's Night Gallery), Joe Alves (who worked as production designer on the first entry), and Joseph Sargent (like Spielberg, he worked with Jaws star Robert Shaw on The Taking of Pelham One Two Three) for the sequels. RELATED: "[I didn't come back for the Jaws sequels] because making the first movie was a nightmare," Spielberg admitted years after the fact (via The Express). "There were endless problems with the shark and it was an impossible shoot. I thought my career was over because no one had ever taken a movie 100 days over schedule." All four Jaws films are now streaming on Peacock through Monday, July 14. They include the following titles: The Jaws movies can also be found via Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, along with a special 50th Anniversary edition of the '75 original. You can also catch the original, along with an introduction from Spielberg, during a special 3-hour broadcast June 20 at 8:00 p.m. ET on NBC. RELATED: If the Jaws saga fails to fully satiate your great white-sized hunger for shark-related action, then be sure to check out Peacock's other predatory offerings like 47 Meters Down, 47 Meters Down: Uncaged, and the complete Sharknado trilogy. Peacock offers two affordable subscription plans, including Premium ($7.99 a month with ads) and Premium Plus ($13.99 a month with no ads and download access for certain titles). Students, meanwhile, can enjoy Premium for just $1.99 for a year!
The Guardian
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Dangerous Animals review – serial killer meets shark movie in this formulaic fizzer
For a long time, serial killer and shark movies were separate forms of cinema; never the twain did meet. In Dangerous Animals they've been blended into one foul fishy stew, theoretically delivering the best of both worlds: a Wolf Creekian adventure with a creature feature twist. But, sadly, this collision of genres hasn't resulted in any real freshness or flair, playing out with a stinky waft of the familiar. Jai Courtney gets the meatiest and most entertaining role as Tucker, the owner of a Gold Coast business that ferries thrill-seekers out into shark-infested waters, where they observe the great beasts from inside an underwater cage. After they're hauled back on to the boat, Tucker kills them and feeds them to the sharks, while filming their grisly deaths on a camcorder for his personal collection of VHS snuff films. The director, Sean Byrne (who previously helmed two more impressive horror movies: The Devil's Candy and The Loved Ones), doesn't follow the Jaws approach of making us wait to see the villain. Tucker appears in the first scene, even before the person who'll challenge and perhaps even defeat him: the free-spirited US surfer and vagabond Zephyr (Hassie Harrison). Her strategy of dealing with locals seems to be avoiding them – and who could blame her? Perhaps she's seen Wake in Fright, Welcome to Woop Woop, Wolf Creek, The Surfer or any of the zillion other Aussie films in which foreigners get flayed by life down under. Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning 'There was nothing for me on land,' Zephyr tells a young man, Moses (Josh Heuston), when he asks why she got into surfing. The point is stressed that she's a solo operator and no pushover – but, once kidnapped by Tucker, Zephyr doesn't have a lot to work with, being chained and immobile for much of the movie. Dangerous Animals is quite sharply made, and for a while I was with it, enjoying the midnight-movie vibes. But its adherence to formula and sheer predictability stifle the fun. From early on Moses's trajectory is obvious: he'll be the only person who notices that Zephyr is missing, goes searching for her and plays a role in the final act. It's also clear that if Zephyr defeats the villain (partly a question of whether the producers envision sequels) it'll only be after a few failed escape attempts. Sometimes the dialogue feels prefabricated: after Tucker tells Zephyr she's 'hard as nails, like me', you just know the protagonist will issue a curt rejection (she fires back: 'I'm nothing like you!'). And moments that should pop don't quite land. A scene in which Tucker coaxes a couple of tourists into a rendition of Baby Shark could have been legendarily strange and meme-able, comparable perhaps to a sledgehammer-wielding Nicolas Cage singing the Hokey Pokey in Mom and Dad; instead it falls flat. Moments with the villain monologising fare a little better. The first occurs when Tucker recounts how, as a child, being bitten by a great white resulted in a quasi-religious experience: 'I've been wide awake ever since,' he says, like a crew member on the Nebuchadnezzar. Later he argues that sea predators protect the fabric of the universe: 'The shark brings order and, without this, chaos reigns.' This dude really likes sharks. It's a funny thing to want a villain to be more hammy, especially when the performance is as good as Courtney's (as his foil, Harrison is also strong, albeit in a blander role). But I did crave more scenery-chewing, more flamboyance, more chutzpah – anything to free Dangerous Animals from the straitjacket of formula. Dangerous Animals is in cinemas now
