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Malibu Shark Attack is a Syfy channel original, which means it was produced on a shoestring budget. My expectations were equally low so maybe that’s the reason why I ended up liking this. All things considered, this film is a well-packaged product.
Hats off to them for their unique shark selection. Almost every shark movie you watch features a great white shark. If the movie is fancier, then a megalodon can be expected. A bull shark may make a rare appearance, but that is very unlikely, and I get that. Great Whites have always been the pick since Jaws, a megalodon is just awesome, while a bull shark is for those that prefer the unorthodox marine animal in fresh water.
The goblin shark is for certain the first one being used in the show I am watching, and I am loving it. Very few people have heard of them since they are deep sea creatures, but they are exceptionally cool and alien-looking. In 2003, hundreds of them were caught off the coast of Taiwan due to the shallow waters brought on by the earthquake, but it was flooding. Now imagine why goblin sharks suddenly appear to Malibu after a hundred feet tsunamis The precedent.
No, the CGI isn’t good. Yes, the same few CGI sequences seemed to be included in the film multiple times. By the midsection, it was irritating. While I understand the need to constantly show the sharks, it just helped emphasize that not a lot is going on. The sharks did not have to attack the base of the lifeguard stand six times. Or if they did, I wanted them to do something different. I feel like there is a lot of potential in having a single setting where a group of people is trapped. Many movies use it remarkably well, especially the one I’m supposed to analyze next week. But instead, the suspense and the pacing drop gradually to a point where I’m not interested anymore and for the last thirty minutes, I’m mostly paying attention to my phone.
The tsunami arrives in half an hour and the situation gets appropriately shark-infested. Characters along with their interpersonal dynamics occupy a third of the movie. This is more than we expect, especially from a Syfy film. Yes, there are some irritating personas. Particulars include Jenny, a teenage flirt who just hocks the entire time and doesn’t grasp the severity of theft.
From her romance arc with the serious, rule-abiding Doug, I kind of sweetly realized that Doug had some endearing bits to him. I appreciated their relationship more when Jenny was not bellowing at the top of her lungs. Barb and Bryan were also a fun couple I liked at the start of the movie, but unlike Jenny, I liked them less as we went along. Nevertheless, the time we have with them is quite substantial. That initial commitment to our characters is what keeps the movie and its plot afloat.
The essence of the argument remains untouched. While the characters are extreme stereotypes, the performances are good enough for us to relate to them at least a bit and care about their personal lives and dynamics. This is a lot more than I expected, but it was enough to make me wish for their survival instead of rooting for their demise.
Alright, I’m sorry, but there’s no chance the lifeguard tower was standing after a tsunami that size. It didn’t even get fully submerged!
Although suggesting polyamory is not the most conventional way to solve a love triangle, I’m glad they did it. It is certainly more creative than most.
An Honest Fangirl has a passion for gaming, horror films, superheroes, and writing, and somehow manages to express her thoughts in a structured and pleasing manner from time to time.
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