Large, fast and dangerous - these are the characteristics of sharks that have become mainstream in modern cinema. The success of Steven Spielberg's Jaws has shown filmmakers the perfect formula for a good summer horror movie that has been used to this day. In such films about sharks and the ocean, the main enemy of man is the forces of wildlife. And yes, you can talk as much as you like about the incorrect representation 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 injure these creatures, endangering their lives 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 is seen on the screen. We hope everyone can swim fast? So, here is a list of the best films about sharks and the ocean (and islands, for that matter, because this is the only way to escape from the pursuit of a large predator, right?), With which we recommend that every self-respecting movie fan get acquainted.
Jaws (1975)
Of course, our top is simply bound to start with Jaws. We already started talking about this cult blockbuster in the introduction, but it definitely deserves to be opened to them with every list of films about sharks and the ocean. The plot of Jaws begins on the shore of a small resort town of Emity, where local vacationers find the body of a dead girl. The big white shark, which now and then appears near the island, is immediately blamed for what happened. Despite the call of the police chief to close the resort, the mayor continues to jeopardize the lives of vacationers. As a result, the solution to the problem rests with the local shark hunter Quint, who sets off in open waters to put an end to the bloodthirsty killings once and for all.
The Deep Blue Sea (1999)
Combining the horror of dangerous sharks with the horror of a crushing sense of claustrophobia is not so easy, because these predators are mostly found only in open waters. However, if you watch the movie "Deep Blue Sea", it seems that nothing is impossible. The main plot of the picture takes place on the territory of the underwater laboratory, where research is conducted 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 that as a result of experiments, predators turned into real killing machines, the laboratory personnel are caught in their own trap.
The Open Sea (2003)
The next adventure film about the ocean with sharks and people who ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time is based on a real event. The prototypes of the main characters were the spouses Aileen and Tom Lonergan, and their story happened in Australia back in 1998. Then the young couple went on a trip on a local tourist boat, where all those present were diving at the Great Barrier Reef. The Lonerganans decided to dive unaccompanied by an instructor, since they themselves had extensive experience in diving. By coincidence, the couple were left in the open sea, while the tourist boat returned to the port.
In the film, the story of Eileen and Tom received a somewhat disturbing interpretation of events. In fact, no one so completely knows about what really happened to the young couple and how they died. The involvement of sharks is in great doubt, but in the "High Sea" they play a key role in the death of one of the spouses.
Drift (2006)
A kind of sequel to the "High Seas" with a similar story, but with different characters. Even the PR campaign reported that the real story was taken as the 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". After the 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, but there is only an endless ocean and the unimaginable horror that people who are left to die experience.
"Shark charmer" (2011)
In the center of the plot is the story of a brave biologist girl named Kate. In professional circles, she became famous due to the fact that she could safely swim side by side with dangerous white sharks. Everything changed when a partner Kate was tragically killed in one of these heats. Then the girl decided to stop diving and instead took up the usual excursions. One day, the heroine meets her ex-husband, who is trying to convince her to return to her previous job. He also introduces her to a millionaire named Brady, ready 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".
Sandbank (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 craving for water was transmitted to her from her mother, who also loved to cut waves on her board. At the beginning of the film, Nancy goes to a secluded beach to sort out herself and spend time surfing.
We learn that this place was special for the girl’s mother and that she often talked about him before she died of cancer. For some time, the heroine just enjoys being alone and swims in the waves, but everything changes when a shark appears on the horizon.
What makes Sandbank so remarkable is its realism, which is surprisingly small in this genre. This is a believable story about fortitude, belief in one's strength and survival in spite of any circumstances.
47 Meters (2017)
We will not go far in time and tell about another good film about sharks and the ocean, which was released just a year after the successful “Shoals” - “47 meters”. Sisters Kate and Lisa go to Mexico to have fun on a sunny beach. However, rest after the usual entertainment quickly bothers the girls, and they decide to try something unusual and risky.
And of course, this is something that turns out to be a shark safari. Using a special cage, Kate and Lisa quickly find themselves with large predators deep underwater. It seems that such a popular entertainment is completely safe, but the sisters very quickly realize that they may have doomed themselves to certain death.
3D Tsunami (2011)
A rather unusual horror film about sharks and the ocean, shot 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 connect with the outside world. However, along with the tsunami waters, huge sharks arrived in the city, which kill everything that moves and do not stop at nothing on the way to their prey.
Meg: The Monster of Depth (2018)
One of the latest films about the confrontation between man and shark. And not just a shark, but a real giant megalodon that somehow managed to survive to our time. With the awakening of this primitive monster, the color of the coastal waters turns red, and the number of victims increases every day. To stop the threat, the rescue submariner Jonays Taylor, who had already met the nightmarish megalodon, will try.
The film was shot by the joint efforts of film companies in the United States and China. Unlike other paintings with similar themes, Meg stands out against the general background, mainly due to the great financial support. The budget of the picture was spent on impressive special effects and royalties of popular actors, such as Jason State.