Surf vs. Turf

That ain't Nemo

Creature movies tend to get away with being campy or corny so long as they're entertaining and know exactly what they are going for. Just look at the Sharknado series; the creators of that B-movie franchise know how ridiculous the premise of a tornado full of sharks sounds and have fun with it which has made it a surprise success. The Shallows sits somewhere in-between being a typical SyFy channel movie and that of a major Hollywood creature project. The story isn't anything groundbreaking: Nancy (Blake lively) arrives at a secluded beach to catch some waves and to a certain extent forget about the complications of life for a bit. Unfortunately, Nancy's little paradise quickly becomes hell on the seas as she comes into contact with a great white shark 

in its' feeding territory. After a quick but vicious attack from the beast leaves her stranded on a rock 600 feet away from the shore, Nancy must use all of her wits and diligence to survive as the shark looms around her. In plain view, The Shallows is nothing but another man (or is it woman?) vs. beast movie, but I wouldn't call it a copy of Jaws either. Comparing the two wouldn't be fair; whereas Jaws is a classic epic blockbuster, The Shallows is more or less a tale of existentialism with the great white shark representing the manifestation of the fears of life. Lively's character, for nearly the entire duration of the film, comes to face the problems she's been avoiding while stranded (in less then 24 hours). It's not entirely preachy but some viewers who are primarily waiting for the inevitable showdown between Nancy and the shark might get bored by this. The Shallows isn't your typical thriller but what is here doesn't disappoint thanks in part to Lively's performance, and like Jaws before it, will make you think twice before going into the water.

-Reviewed by Razor, 10/7/16